Gone Before You Wake
by Original Dark Angel
Summary: Ginny and Draco have been good friends since they were young children but kept it a secret for many years. When Draco’s mother is murdered and life at Malfoy Manor is brought to light, he ends up staying with the Weasleys. Complete.
1. The Boy At The Window

A/N: This is Post OotP. Draco/Ginny if you couldn't tell. All reviews welcome. ->--

Ginny Weasley crashed onto her bed, kicking the blue velour throw to the foot of her bed. It was too hot to actually use it. Summer at the Burrow was always warm, but today the house felt like a furnace. She plumped the pillow and buried her face in it as she heard Ron start banging on her door, wanting to chat about his date with Hermione. She wasn't in the mood to listen to him moon over Hermione. She just wanted to go to sleep, so she ignored him until he went away. Finally, she could sleep.

Tap. Pause. Tap. Tap. Ginny sighed and got up. Anything else she would have ignored, but only one person used that signal and only because fear drove him to it. She crossed to the window and yanked it open, giving him a hand as he climbed over the sill. He was soaked from the summer rain and despite the heat he was shaking in fear.

"C'mon. I stole some of Ron's sweatpants yesterday. Go change into something dry."

Mutely, he obeyed, slipping into her bathroom. He reappeared a few moments later, toweling his hair dry. Ginny tossed her two giant navy throw pillows on the floor and handed him the velour throw that she had just rejected. He dropped to the floor and jerked the blanket over his head, obviously too upset to talk. Ginny went back to her bed, but dropped her hand over the edge on his side. Seconds later he took it, intertwining their fingers.

"Thanks, Gin. I'm too old to still be doing this almost every night, but you never complain."

"I wouldn't send a flobberworm back to that house. It's not like you're hurting anything and you've done your fair share of comforting me. But the punishment if someone found out now is certainly more dangerous."

"Yeah?" he chuckled low in his throat. "How so?"

"When you were seven, my mum would have scolded us, wringing out a confession in the process, taken one look at your back and decided to keep you. Now there is the distinct possibility of my brothers forming a lynch mob and hanging you from the nearest tree."

"Better your brothers than my father. At least they wouldn't crucio me."

Ginny squeezed his hand. "I'm sorry, Draco."

"They were fighting again. Yelling and then he hit her. I tried to help her, but he had his wand. I didn't. Mother sent me upstairs, but I could still hear them fighting."

"It isn't your fault."

"I know."

Sleepy, Ginny tightened her grip and whispered the words that were so familiar now after nine years, the words that she said every night he came in the window, the only words of comfort that either felt completely safe in offering. "How long will you stay tonight?"

"I'll be here when the sun rises, but I'll be gone before you wake." Every night it was the same reply, a nighttime ritual started as young children and continued through the years out of habit. Then they lay there in companionable silence until both had fallen asleep.


	2. Lost On This Side Of Forever

A/N: Second Chapter. This has a flashback in it. The next few will have a couple more to explain exactly the depth of Draco and Ginny's friendship. ->--

"Good morning, Ginny dear." Mum busied herself pouring orange juice, and serving up the pancakes. "It's almost ten. Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, mum. Any word from Harry?"

"Poor dear's bored out of his mind. Dumbledore is going to fetch him day after tomorrow."

"That's good. With any luck, he'll make it through this summer without a mishap of some sort of another."

"Shush! Don't jinx it."

They set the table together and Ron stumbled downstairs in time to eat breakfast with them, though he didn't fully wake up, until Mr. Weasley popped out of the fire at him, interrupting the meal.

"Charlie is coming home. He'll be here tonight after dinner. There's been a dragon-related incident and he was called in."

"Incident, Dad?"

"Narcissa Malfoy is dead. She was torn apart. The marks point to a dragon, but the dragon in question appears to have vanished into thin air. She was found by that boy of hers-Draco is it? –early this morning. But when the ministry got there and was less than polite, he hexed Fudge and ran off. No one has been able to find him."

Ron snorted through his mouthful of pancakes. "Bet he did it."

Ginny turned on him with a fury. "Take that back!"

Ron stared at her. "We're not little kids anymore, Ginny. You can't take things back. Malfoy probably did it. He's named for a dragon after all."

"Draco Malfoy may be a jerk, and a prat, and a Slytherin, but he would never harm his own mother."

"Taking this kind of personally, Gin. Its just Malfoy, and he did curse Fudge."

"His mother was killed in one of the most gruesome ways possible, and he found the body. Of course he's distraught! Knowing Fudge, I'll bet he said something about how Mrs. Malfoy had it coming to her. I would have hexed him too, if it had been Mum!" She wheeled around to face her father. "They have people looking for him, don't they? Can I help?"

"The Malfoy Estate is very dangerous, Ginny. They have a team of the best aurorers searching for him. They'll find him and you can send him your condolences. Try and put this whole messy matter out of your head. Why don't you help your mum with the cleaning before Harry gets here? Dumbledore decided to bring him tomorrow after this-well, we'll have him a day early, so better get started." He kissed her cheek, Mrs. Weasley's cheek and ruffled Ron's hair. "I must get back to sleep. Have a pleasant day, you lot and I'll see you at six." He disapparated and 2/3 of the remaining Weasley's returned to their breakfast.

Noticing Ginny's reluctance to eat, Ron spoke up. "Dad's right, Gin. Forget about it."

"Not bloody likely," she mumbled to herself.

That night she was sitting on the window seat, waiting for him. If he didn't come tonight, nothing would stand in her way of searching for him. Tonight was clear and she could see all of the stars, but she studied the lawn instead. Finally, she saw him run across the yard. He never got to tap on the window. She threw it open and pulled him inside. He was still wearing Ron's sweatpants, barefoot and shirtless. Moonlight played off the scars on his torso. Stripe after stripe from the childhood whippings ruined his perfect chiseled-from-alabaster-appearance. She hugged him tightly. "I'm sorry." He wasn't crying, and there was no trace of previously shed tears. Raised a Malfoy, of course he would be as reticent as one. He couldn't cry. He didn't know how. It didn't stop her from crying for him though. She pulled him towards the bed. "Forget the floor." He sat there stiffly, while she leaned into his shoulder.

In broken syllables, he finally began speaking. "I didn't . . . didn't get home . . . until around eight-thirty. There was this . . . this awful stench coming from the parlor, and . . .and there was a reddish stain on the carpet outside the door. It was Mother's favorite. The door was ajar and I pushed it open. It didn't open all the way. The coffee table was blocking it. The furniture was overturned, and . . . and blood was everywhere, and she . . . she . . ." He couldn't say the word so he skipped ahead. "The Ministry came and Fudge walked in. He whistled and he . . . he said . . . 'Well, if anyone deserved it, I suppose she did.'" Draco almost choked on the cruel words. "I hexed him. The bat boogey hex you taught me. He started screeching his head off and I ran. I didn't stop running, just ran through all of the mazes and around the lake. Then I ran back, dodging two of the aurorers and before I knew it, I was in your yard. I've been running so hard that I couldn't think. And now all I can see is her right in front of me and she's dead." He buried his face in his hands. He wasn't crying, but trying to block the visions that haunted him. Ginny pulled him to her and his tears finally broke through.

He was asleep now. Asleep and quiet. She tousled his hair. He lay curled up, head pillowed in her lap. He was 6'2", a full 8 inches taller than her, yet he curled up into a little ball when he was asleep, he was so afraid. She looked out the window. The sun was beginning to rise. It had taken a long time to cry himself out, probably since he hadn't cried since the whipping at age seven. He was so exhausted, that she couldn't bring herself to wake him up. She'd have to smuggle him out later or hide him in her room all day. She preferred the later. When someone was lost on this side of forever, one couldn't very well shove them out the door.

Ron passed his sister's door on his way back from the loo. He heard her singing very softly, so he pushed it open to check on her. She sat with her back against the headboard, singing to the blonde boy who was sleeping next to her. Malfoy. Ginny saw him, raising a finger to her lips and shaking her head vehemently, but he paid her no heed. "What is Malfoy doing in your room?" His yelling startled Malfoy awake, and the boy practically leapt off the bed, as Mum, Dad, Charlie, and Bill came running.

People began yelling and asking questions at the same time, creating a clamor. Ginny had firmly planted herself between them and Malfoy, like a tigress protecting her young, angrily telling them all to go away.

Charlie noticed it first, then Mum, and then Ron, and in a matter of seconds the room went silent. When Malfoy realized what they were staring at, he crossed his arms over his chest and took a step back, so that his scarred back was against the wall. "Does someone have a shirt I may borrow? I'm afraid I didn't locate one before I left the manor," he asked with a quiet dignity that no one could have expected.

"Ron or Bill?" Mrs. Weasley asked. Bill ducked out of the room and returned with a black t-shirt, which he tossed to Malfoy, who quickly assumed it, and with the shirt came some of his self-confidence and trust in Ginny to save his sorry butt. Now that they couldn't see his weakness he must no longer feel vulnerable to attack. Mrs. Weasley nodded. "Ginny, you and Mr. Malfoy go down to the kitchen. The rest of you lot, go back to bed. If I see an Extendable Ear, I'll ground the lot of you, and don't think I can't, Bill Weasley!"

Ginny fed the way to the kitchen holding tightly to his hand as if afraid he would run. She dropped to a chair, familiar with his old-fashioned manners. Mrs. Weasley didn't sit, but pointed to the chair next to Ginny. "Sit."

"Mum, he was waiting for you to sit down."

"Oh." Molly glanced from Ginny to him. "Thank you, young man. Few are familiar with that form of courtesy anymore." She sat and Draco followed suit. "Now I want the whole story from the beginning, understand?"

"Yes, mum."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Mum, this is my best friend, Draco Malfoy. I met him nine years ago, when I was six and he was seven."

**Flashback**

_Someone was crying behind the broom shed. Little Ginny Weasley could hear them. Slipping away from her brother's game of tag, she went to investigate. A boy close to her age, maybe a year older like Ron, with hair so blonde it was almost white sat there, cowering. It was starting to get dark, so she couldn't see very well, but there was something wrong with his bare back. It was striped with red. He looked up at her through tear-filled eyes. "Who are you?"_

_She plopped down beside him and wiped the tears on one side of his face away. He wiped away the rest and looked at her expectantly. She smiled sweetly. "I'm Ginny. Who are you?"_

_"Draco. Do you live here?"_

_"Yes. Over in that funny house." She pointed and laughed. "Daddy says it grows just the same as we do."_

_"Houses don't grow."_

_"Do too!"_

_"I'm seven and I've never seen a house grow. Not once in my whole life."_

_"Well, I'm six and my daddy say's that they do!"_

_Even at a young age, Draco saw the futility of trying to talk stubborn Ginny Weasley out of something and in an effort to make peace he gave in. "Fine, they grow." Ginny's sunny smile returned and she kissed Draco on the cheek. He turned red. "Eww!"_

_"That's what my brothers say. 'Cept Bill and Charlie. They've got girlfriends and they like to kiss them."_

_"Gross."_

_"Double gross," she confirmed. "You're dirty."_

_"I fell down when I was running."_

_"Why were you running?"_

_"Father hurt me."_

_Compassionate to a fault, Ginny couldn't stand another's pain and tears filled her eyes. "Come home with me. Mum won't mind."_

_"No! You can't tell anyone. He'll hurt me more. Promise you won't tell anyone!" The fear on his face was so plain, that Ginny bit her lip and nodded reluctantly. Draco sighed with relief. "Thank you."_

_"You're still coming to my house," she said determined. "There's a stairway outside to the first upstairs. If you climb over the rail onto the workshop roof, my window's the first one. I'll run inside and let you in."_

_"Can I stay?"_

_"Of course, silly. Will your mum miss you?"_

_"No, she's gone to London to see her sister."_

_"Okay. Hurry up and don't let my brothers catch you, 'specially Fred and George."_

_Ten minutes later, Draco was standing in Ginny's room watching her run around and point out things of interest; her toys, her books, her paint set, her own bathroom. Then she turned back to him and wrinkled her nose. "You need a bath."_

_"So?"_

_"Go take one. I'll go sneak some of Ron's clothes out of the laundry, while he's brushing his teeth."_

_Before he knew it he was clean, wearing clothes that were too long for him, and his back didn't hurt as much. Ginny bounced past him onto the bed. "Good thing I've got a big bed."_

_Draco stopped short. "No. That is bad. My mother wouldn't like it. I'll sleep on the floor." Ginny shrugged and pushed one of her pillows and the quilt down on the floor for him. He curled up. "G'night, Ginny."_

_"Night, Draco." A few seconds later, a hand reached for his and he took it._

**End Flashback**

"So this has been going on every night for the last nine years?" Mrs. Weasley asked skeptically.

"Not every night, but close," Ginny admitted. "I couldn't let him stay there when his father was in a mood."

"I wouldn't have either, but I think you should have told some one."

"I promised, Mum."

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Weasley. I'm the one who held her to it."

"If we had paid a little more attention to Ginny, we might have discovered this earlier. I'm sorry, Draco. To think that you were half a mile away and in danger, and we did nothing. Well, you'll stay here of course. Arthur will have a word with Dumbledore to arrange things. Let me get breakfast started. You must be starving."

Only after the pair was eating breakfast, did Molly excuse herself. She found Ron on the foot of the stairs. "Ron, you will behave yourself for the duration of Draco's stay. I'll want your word along with Harry and Hermione's, that you will be courteous to the poor boy. And you will not say a word to anyone about Draco's scars, do you understand me?"

"But-"

"Do you understand me?"

"Yes, mum," he sulked.


	3. A Secret Meeting

"What's Malfoy doing here?" Harry grimaced, seeing Malfoy and Ginny sitting out on the dock.

"Ginny's new pet," Ron said, dully. "I'll explain the rest when Hermione gets here. Fred and George are picking her up."

"Does this have something to do with his mum's death?"

"It had better. You'd know more about it then me. Mum tossed the Daily Prophet in the fire as soon as it came, so I didn't find out exactly what was up."

"Plastered with pictures of the body and scene. Nauseating."

"Probably why the paper ended up in the fire. Oww!"

"Sorry, 'bout that, bro. Haven't got apparating down pat yet." Fred stood up and offered Ron a hand up.

"Hermione elected to take the stairs. Seemed to think it was 'safer,'" George shrugged. "Odd girl you got there, Ron. Doesn't seem to trust us."

"I wonder why," Ron said icily, rubbing his shin.

The twins' reply was cut short, as Hermione appeared in the doorway, excited and breathless. "Ron, what is going on around here? First you owl me to come immediately, then Ginny's out there holding Malfoy-" Hermione never finished, as all four boys rushed the window.

"He's sleeping again," Ron said in exasperation. Malfoy was curled up, head in Ginny's lap, and motionless. Ginny stared out over the water, fingers idly toying with his hair.

"One good Reductor and he'll be in the pond," Fred remarked while fingering his wand. "How's that for a wake-up call?"

"Brilliant as always, dear brother," George answered.

"Don't risk it. You'll face the wrath of both Ginny and Mum. They've expressed that particular sentiment twice each this morning," Ron sighed as he returned to a chair.

"Will someone please tell me what's going on?" Hemione demanded.

"Yeah, mate. Go back to the Ginny's Pet part."

"What is Malfoy doing here?"

"Hermione, have you read the Dailey Prophet today?"

"No, I was a bit busy packing after I received the urgent summons from his highness, King Ron."

Ignoring the sarcasm, Ron explained, "Mum threw our copy in the fire and from what Harry says the pictures are not pretty. A dragon killed Narcissa Malfoy in her parlor night before last. Malfoy found her yesterday morning."

"So your mum's keeping him?" Harry raised an eyebrow. "Odd, but I guess if anyone has a heart big enough to include Malfoy, it'd be your mum. Remember how Sirius teased her that if Voldemort showed up to her door a mite thin, that she would sit him down and feed him all the food in the house before hexing him?"

"Harry, pretend that you don't suffer from ADD," Ron scowled.

"Beg pardon, King Ron." Seeing his friend go red, Harry hurried to give him something else to vent his anger on. "So how does that make him Ginny's pet?"

"You read the Daily Prophet, Harry. You should know that he disappeared yesterday and no one could find him. This morning, I found him asleep in Ginny's bed, just like he is now. I hollered and everyone had an almighty row in her room until . . ." Ron trailed off.

"Until what?" Fred and George asked in unison.

Ron leaned forward and said in a hushed tone. "Malfoy's been whipped. They're healed over so it must have been a long time ago, but you can still see the marks. His chest, shoulders, and arms are covered with 'em, and from the way he backed up so fast, I'm betting his back looks the same. When he realized we were staring, he calmly asked for a shirt, as if he was asking directions or for a donation to St. Mungos. After Bill got him one, Mum marched them down to the kitchen. I listened in. From what Ginny said, its been going on for nine years. Every time he's beaten or his parents fight, he sneaks over here and sleeps on Ginny's floor."

"That explains what he was doing over here that day," Fred commented.

George nodded. "Right before our first year, we found a little kid hiding behind the shed, watching us play. He said he was Draco and he was lost. There was a gash on his forehead. He told us he'd fallen down. We offered to take him into Mum so she could fix him up, but he freaked. So we walked him home. As soon as we got to the edge of the Malfoy property, he took off."

"That's why we recognized the name that day when we rescued Harry from the muggles," Fred continued. "So mum's keeping him here then?"

"Cleared it with Dumbledore and he smoothed it over with the ministry. Even if Lucius hadn't disappeared, he couldn't get a hold of Malfoy now. The evidence of physical abuse causes the ministry to prevent anything he might try." Ron picked up Crookshanks and began petting him absentmindedly. Crookshanks had the mind not to scratch at this uncharacteristic treatment from one of his less than ardent admirers, but gave a rusty purr.

"So what do we do now?" Hermione asked. "Treat him like scum, ignore him, or try to be polite?"

"I'm all for treating him like the ferret he is," Ron shrugged.

"George and I second the motion," Fred spoke up.

"I think civility should prevail. After all we are Gryffindors and we should help those who need assistance and cannot help themselves-"

"Knock it off, Hermione. Next thing you know, we'll all be paying to be a part of the S.P.M. Society for the Protection of Malfoy. I personally refuse to join such an organization and waste my hard earned money. Harry, what do you think?"

"He isn't under his father's control anymore. Maybe he will be decent. I think we should let him decide. If he's civil, we'll be civil. If he's a jerk than we don't have to feel guilty about our comebacks. Sound fair?"

One by on the group agreed to the terms. As Ron gloomily put it, "One for all. All for one. We're the bloody musketeers."

As one the rest of the group saluted sharply, "All hail King Ron."

"That's not funny," Ron protested futilely.


	4. I Don't Know I Just Felt Like It

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters. They are the property of JK Rowling and I am not making any profit off of my fanfictions.

Draco woke up and blinked sleepily at Ginny. He was outside for some reason and the sun was too bright. Ginny smiled sweetly. "Welcome back."

"Did I fall asleep again?" he asked, carefully sitting up. She nodded. "Sorry."

"Its okay. I like the water. However I think we may both end up with a sun burn."

He snorted. "I never burn."

"Famous last words. Let's head back up to the house. Lunch should be ready."

"Alright." He stood and offered a hand to Ginny helping her to her feet. He paused a moment to look back and missed the mischievous look in her eyes. Then with a sudden shove she knocked him into the water. He kicked his way to the surface, whipped his hair out of his eyes and gasped for breath. Ginny smiled innocently from the dock. "Someone's asking for a bath." He grabbed her ankle and pulled her in. Even though she had expected his retaliation, she let out a shriek as she hit the freezing water. She reappeared on the surface a moment later sputtering. "You knew it was coming."

Teeth chattering, she nodded. "I d-did. I didn't think it was so c-cold."

"Neither did I." Actually it wasn't as bad as first, he'd grown used to it. That was until she splashed him. Then a furious water fight broke out, culminating in Draco swimming under water and yanking Ginny down.

As they headed back to the house, soaking wet, both felt better about their lot in life. They stood dripping in the doorway, waiting for Mrs. Weasley to look up and acknowledge them, but she finished buttering homemade bread first. "You're late. Go get cleaned up. Ron, get Draco some dry clothes."

"Yes, mum."

Draco followed Ron upstairs to a room that was such a bright orange that it would hurt the eyes if one looked at it too long. Ron dragged out the drawers a pair of khaki cargos and a navy long sleeved t-shirt. "There's a pair of my old sneakers in the bathroom down the hall. Better hurry. Mum's food goes fast." Then he disappeared.

We saw you two out the window. Why'd you push him in the pond?"

Ginny paused, and thought about Hermione's question, then yanked the t-shirt over her head. "I don't know. I just felt like it."

"Ron was ready to run out and drown him. He was positive that Malfoy had said something rude."

"Ron thinks I need to be protected from every boy on the face of the planet. And he hates Draco. Don't worry about me, Hermione. I can take care of myself. Draco's my best friend. He won't hurt me. In some ways, he's even more protective of me than Ron is."

"Yeah? Name one. Far as I can tell, he's spent the better part of the last five years tormenting you."

"He knew more about me and the Chamber of Secrets than you three did, and long before you."

"His dad gave you the diary!"

"Draco doesn't know that. I've never told him, and Mr. Malfoy didn't either. He knew something was wrong, and that I had a secret besides my silly crush on Harry Potter. Every time there was an attack and my memory was gone, he would come and hold me. That was the only time I felt safe enough to cry, and he didn't object."

"He doesn't know about the diary?" Hermione asked faintly.

"He knows there was a diary, but he doesn't know about his father's involvement. Draco would blame himself. As it is he feels guilty that he couldn't help me. How many times did he say something to Harry about me?"

"Almost every day, sometimes twice a day. It really embarrassed the boys. Oh. He was trying to bring you to our attention. And we ignored it. Right in front of us and we missed it."

"Draco watches out for me. I watch out for him. It's been that way since the beginning. That will never change and the family feud ends with us." Ginny slipped on her sandals and almost walked past her jewelry box, but changed her mind. She had nothing to hide now. She pulled out her charm bracelet. Not the jam-packed one that her brothers loved to add to with wacky charms, but one of pure silver, with eight charms hanging from it, a wand, a sword, a unicorn, a hippogriff, a broomstick, a pair of dancing shoes, a ruby heart shaped locket, and a golden snitch.

"Is that real?" Hermione gasped.

"Of course. Draco gave it to me on my eleventh birthday with the wand charm, and has added a new one every Christmas and Birthday since. I have to go. Draco's waiting for me."

"Wait, Ginny! When you were little, why help Malfoy?"

"I don't know. I just felt like it."

Draco had finished changing, opened the bathroom door, and was leaving when he spotted the bottle of hair gel on the counter. Out of habit he reached for it.

"Don't even think about it. You need a haircut not hair gel." Ginny stood at the top of the stairs, watching him.

Draco put the bottle down. "You offering to cut it?"

She looked thoughtful. "I suppose I could after lunch. Leave off the hair gel and I'll do it. Let's go eat first, okay?"

"Right."

"What do you think?" Ginny handed him the mirror. She had cut it shorter than he was used to, but still a little long, and left it tousled. She was hoping that he would like it.

"Looks good. Thanks, Ginny."

"No problem." She placed the scissors and comb back in their case, stowing it in her mother's drawer. She reached over and tousled his hair further. "No gel."

"Yes, ma'am."

Ron, Harry, and Hermione tumbled downstairs. "We're going swimming. Wanna come?"

Ginny looked at Draco, who had yanked his shirt over his head at the first sound of feet on the stairs. "No, I think once is enough for today."

"That was weird," Harry commented. "We could have loaned Malfoy a suit if he wanted to swim."

Hermione turned on him so fast he almost fell off the dock. "He won't swim because then we'd be able to see his scars! Have some common sense, Harry." She dove in without another word.

Ron shrugged. "Sorry, mate." And then he leapt in after his girlfriend. "Can't disagree with my girl."

**"Absolutely not! I will not have him sleeping in the same room as my baby sister and my girlfriend!"** Ron was steadily turning redder. **"I don't care if it's on the floor, he's-"**

Hermione stood on tiptoe and kissed her boyfriend. This shut him up before he said something that would not only destroy the fragile balance of civility, but permanently damage his relationship with Ginny.

Mrs. Weasley asking where Malfoy wanted to sleep had sparked the whole incident. Malfoy had been talking quietly with Charlie about Quidditch, a silent agreement in place not to discuss the investigation, but his reaction to the question was to stop short, go pale, and tighten his grip on Ginny's hand. Ginny softly spoke up, "He'll sleep on the floor in my room like usual." Then Ron had exploded.

Satisfied that she had successfully distracted Ron, she stepped back and smiled sweetly. "Ron, I need to discuss something with you in private." She pulled him along behind her to the back yard. He opened his mouth, but she placed a hand over it. "Relax, Ginny and I can take care of ourselves. I'll be there to play chaperone and find out the true nature of this 'friendship.' Okay?"

"No."

"You, Harry, Fred, and George are right up the stairs. We'll be fine." He didn't protest, but the sullen expression made his opinion quite clear. "Let's go for a long walk." His expression brightened and she pulled him after her towards the pond.


	5. Another Secret Meeting

Disclaimer: Not mine. Never will be. Lucky JK Rowling.

"I'm serious, Ron. He doesn't make a sound after saying good night to Ginny. He curls up in this little ball and doesn't move a muscle, unless he has a nightmare, but all he does is stand up, walk over to the window seat, and stare out the window. Within moments Ginny will wake up, and join him. She lays her head on his shoulders and he puts his arm around her. They just sit like that, until they get up at exactly the same time, as if by an unspoken agreement and go back to bed. When we get up the next morning, he's already gone. It's been the same routine all week." Except the night that it was Ginny who woke up crying; Ginny who needed to be comforted, Hermione's mind nagged her.

**Flashback**

_"Please stop," Ginny moaned. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. NO!" Ginny's tossing and turning ceased, as she broke free of the nightmare. Then she sprang forward with a stifled cry._

_Draco was at her side before Hermione's mind registered the thought, the Sixth Sense the star-crossed pair seemed to share already in effect. So Hermione lay there pretending to be asleep, to see how he would handle it._

_Draco swept the smaller girl up and held her close, letting the redhead cry into his shoulder, murmuring soft words of comfort. "He's gone. You're safe. He can't hurt you." Hermione couldn't' make out what Ginny had whispered into his ear, but it made him chuckle, as he reassured her. "Never happen. He'll have to come through me first." He set Ginny back down on the bed and sat cross-legged at the foot of the bed._

_Ginny wiped away her tears and looked at him. "Let me see the scars." Draco glanced in Hermione's direction to assure himself that she was really asleep and Hermione shut her eyes quickly. Satisfied that only Ginny would see his weakness, he pulled the black t-shirt over his head. Hermione had to stifle a scream. The moonlight displayed at least twenty stripes that covered the length of his back. Ginny leaned forward and traced the one that curved over his left shoulder. "I wish that I could give him 30 lashes. See how he takes it."_

_"Shh. At least mine don't hurt anymore. Not like yours." He reached forward and pulled her hair over one shoulder, tracing the mark that he knew scarred the back of her neck. Hermione lay there stunned. A lightning bolt scar, exactly the same as Harry's was on Ginny's neck. She had never seen the mark before. Ginny's hair or shirt would have easily kept it hidden._

_"The nightmares are getting worse. This link to him is getting stronger. It frightens me how powerful he's getting."_

**End Flashback**

Hermione pushed the memory from her mind. She didn't understand it yet. "Malfoy's done nothing wrong all week. Maybe it was just his father's influence after all."

"Charlie and Bill seem to really like him," Harry noted with a shrug. "And he hasn't fallen for one of George and Fred's tricks either."

"Thought we had him with the canary cream, but he turned right around and gave it to Ron," George grumbled.

"Who promptly turned into a giant 6 ½ foot bird," Fred added with a grin at the memory.

"And sent Harry's Aunt Petunia into hysterics," George continued.

"And scared that beached whale so badly that the poor bloke fainted."

"No, wait, that was the Fainting Fancy," George corrected.

"Whatever it was, the whole house shook when he hit the ground." Tears of mirth filled Fred's eyes. "Talk about a chain reaction. That guy could have a real career in the joke business."

"We're getting off topic," Harry interjected, having taken Ron's ADD comment to heart. "Can we just decide whether or not we like Malfoy enough to use his first name like Ginny asked?"

Fred and George shrugged. "We don't care anymore. He acts decent now and it's not like he could choose his father."

Hermione nodded. "It's only right to use his proper name."

"I still think that he's a Malfoy, we should treat him like one," Ron said stubbornly.

"That's not fair, Ron." Hermione shook her head. "Not fair at all."

"He's been using our names since Ginny asked yesterday," Harry shrugged. "I suppose we could return the favor."

"I won't do it," Ron said stubbornly. "Anything but that. You all go right on ahead, but I refuse to be friendly to the scumbag who had made us miserable for the last five years. If he had cared oh-so-much for Ginny, he wouldn't have let his dad give that diary to Ginny in Second Year."

"He doesn't know," Hermione whispered.

All four heads turned abruptly but simultaneously to her as they shouted in unison, "WHAT!"

"Remember how little he knew when you used the Polyjuice Potion? Ginny told him about the diary not long after. He's the one who tore apart your dormitory to burn the book, but Ginny found it first. Malfoy-er-Draco thinks that it was just in a second hand book. Ginny never told him that it was his father who gave it to her."

"I don't care. He's still the spawn of evil."

"Look Ron, Much as we hate to say it . . ."

". . . You're being pathetically stubborn . . ."

"And your brain is at the same level as a fwooper bird."

"Minus the feathers of course," George felt compelled to add.

"Anyway, George and I feel this petty dislike is your favorite childish pastime, and we by mutual agreement-"

"A democratic though previously unvoiced decision," George interrupted.

Fred nodded. "Correct. In any event, we feel that we are above it."

"You sound like Hermione," Ron complained, "and I have nothing in common with a fwooper bird."

"We've been reading and you do too. Besides we can't waste such a brilliant joker. Might offer him a summer job in the joke shop."

"And I'm of the opinion that we should forgive and forget."

"Give it a rest, Hermione. Harry's with me, ain't you, mate?" The expression on Ron's face when he realized that for the first time in five years that none of his friends were going to back him up on this was a sight that Hermione would never forget.

Then there was the anger that followed it as the twins broke into another chorus of "Sing a song of sixpence, pocket full of pie, four and twenty 'Miones baked in a pie. When the pie was open than she began to sing. Wasn't that a dainty dish to set before Ron the King? **All hail King Ron!**" That wasn't a picnic either.


	6. Diagon Alley

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters anymore than I own the Great Pyramids, no matter how I may wish differently. This is just my plot with JKR's characters.

"All right you two. I'm turning you both loose in Diagon Alley for three hours, against my better judgment. Stick together. Hopefully the citizens of Diagon Alley will find it in their hearts to eventually forgive me."

"Relax, Mum. It's not like you're sending Fred and George. We won't blow up Diagon Alley. I Promise." Ginny rolled her eyes and took the purse her mother offered.

"Get your school things and come straight home. With all of the killings . . . just come back alive and in one piece, please."

"Yes, Mum." Ginny took a pinch of floo powder and disappeared.

Molly smiled at Draco as she took a pinch of floo powder. "Take care of her, please?"

"Always do, Mrs. Weasley."

"That's a good boy. Have a nice time, dear." With a burst of flame, Draco disappeared and Molly returned to her chores, feeling better about the whole situation.

"Flourish and Blotts, first. What do we need?"

Ginny referred to the lists that she'd been placed in charge of. "Four copies each of Advanced Transfiguration, Fun and Fancy Free Charmwork, Excel at Potions, one of Effort's Guide to Herbology. Then I need Practical Potions and O.W.L. Level Charms."

"Got it. Anything else?"

"That's all-wait a second." Ginny knelt down and looked at the dusty book on the bottom shelf. A dim shimmer had drawn her eye to it. She picked it up and blew the dust off the cover. Colored glass shimmered, as the light hit the dragon's scales. Bright gold embossed letters read _Famous Animagi: The Magical Creatures Edition._ It was heavy and the corner tag read 14 Sickles. It was a very expensive book, but so beautiful. "Wow." She looked up at Draco who had backtracked to see what she was looking at. He almost dropped the stack of heavy books, when he saw the image on the front. "Oh, sorry, Draco."

"I'm fine." He set down the books and took the one she held, flipping through it. "Interesting read. Shall we purchase it?"

Ginny blushed. "It's too expensive."

"I'll take care of it, if you let me read it too."

"As long as you don't disappear with it for a month like you did with my _Unicorn Legends_ book summer before last, you've got a deal."

"I was on vacation," he protested, "And if that's not the pot calling the kettle black. What happened to my 1st Edition of _Genevieve's Tower_?"

Ginny blushed. That book was hidden in the secret compartment under her nightstand. "I'll give it back after I read it one more time."

"Like you don't have it memorized already."

"Proud of it. _Lancelot, he's locked me in. Arthur leaves tomorrow with the key 'round his neck. If he should die in battle, I will be trapped forevermore and die here, insane and unloved_."

"_Never happen, Genevieve, my love. I shall be here and this time will fly. You are the evening star, and as untouchable, but should you ever glance my way, I'll be content to love you from afar_."

"You're as bad as I am," Ginny accused, picking up half the books.

Draco shrugged. "It was a good book." He gathered the rest of the books and paid for the lot. "I've got this. You cover robes and potion ingredients."

"Sounds good. Madame Malkin's next?"

"Let's, Genevieve."

"Oh, Sir Lancelot, you dashing gent." They left the store in laughter, leaving the disapproving clerk to scowl at their backs.

"Shall we check in with Fred and George before we leave?"

"Sure."

The joke shop was filled with chaos, but they found Fred behind the counter, watching enviously as George demonstrated the Canary Creams to the crowd. Fred didn't pull his eyes away, but began to deliver his monotone speech. "Welcome to Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Our Canary Creams are half price today-"

"I'm a Weasley. Mine are free."

This got his attention. "Ginny! Finished buying school supplies then?"

"All except the essentials. Had to come here for those. Two dozen Canary Creams, a Skiving Snack Box, two Extendable Ears, and a set of the pinwheel fireworks."

"You're going to drive us out of business, you know," Fred grumbled, as he packaged up the pranks. "We'll starve."

"So says the man in a dragon skin jacket, running one of the most prominent stores in Diagon Alley. Put it on the Weasley discount, please."

"Smart Aleck."

"Adorable brat," Ginny countered, "Whom you love dearly as she is the only girl and the baby of the family."

"Got me there. So besides the pranks, did you get anything else of interest?" Ginny unwrapped her new book and showed it to him. "Not another Charlie-Ginny book!"

"Yep," Ginny giggled as she put the book away.

"When she was a kid, Charlie would read her all of his magical creature books, especially the dragon ones because she loved them as much as he did. Even claimed to have a dragon for a friend." This comment brought a smirk to both faces. "Oh. You."

**Flashback**

"_Mum," little Ginny asked. "What does 'Draconis' mean?"_

_Charlie put down his book and grinned. "It's Latin for Dragon, kiddo."_

"_What a cool name! I've got a Dragon for a friend, Fred."_

"_Sure you do, Gin," he rolled his eyes. "And you can fly."_

_Charlie swooped down and spun her around and around. "Sure she can."_

**End Flashback**

Ginny's shriek of happiness echoed in Fred's head seven years later. "I'm an idiot."

"Can't disagree with the truth," Ginny smirked.

"Hey!" Fred would have protested further if he hadn't heard two of the patrons' hushed conversation.

"That Malfoy boy is bothering the Weasley's again."

"Didn't his mother just die? I wouldn't be surprised if he had a hand in it, that creepy young man."

"He was creepy as a little boy too."

Draco had caught this last bit. "Excuse me." He slipped out of the store, and started running.

Fred kicked the wooden half-door to the counter open and slammed it behind him, making the two witches jump, as they noticed one of the Weasley Twins advancing on them. Fred planted himself firmly in front of them. "Ladies, thank you for patronizing our shop. Have you met our new clerk, my good friend, Draco Malfoy? No? I'd introduce you, but he seems to have disappeared a mite upset. Something about two old bats assuming and generally poking their noses where they don't' belong." He smiled widely as the pair began sputtering.

Ginny found Draco leaning on the brick wall of the bridge studying the water below. "Alright?"

"Alive." He sighed. "I'd forgotten about people like them while living at your house. I shouldn't have. Since when does anyone see me as a human, not as Malfoy Jr, Evil Incarnate? Besides you, I mean."

"Fred did. You missed him putting those witches in their place. Priceless. And if George had heard, he would have been right behind him. Did you know they hired you?"

"Thought they might, but no they never asked."

"Well, according to Fred, you now work at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes."

"That was nice of him."

"Draco, you are not your father. The people who know you realize that."

"Thanks. Let's go get our stuff. I'm ready to go home."


	7. A Prank Gone Awry

Disclaimer: I do not own anything you recognize from the Harry Potter books. Only the plot is mine.

Draco tossed the last gnome over the hedge and filled in the hole with dirt, tramping it down. He was determined to earn his keep around here, so while Ginny was helping her mother make any necessary alterations to the school robes, he'd located a shovel and set about de-gnoming the garden. Each gnome he tossed the way that he wished he could throw the little old ladies. With each shovel load he buried the rage deep inside him. Satisfied with his work, he leaned the shovel against the tree and reassumed his shirt, before carrying the shovel back to the shed. Mopping the sweat off his forehead, he stumbled inside the kitchen door for a drink. Inside the door, he encountered Harry and Ron hiding behind the giant clock. "What on earth-"

"Shush!" Ron grabbed his arm and dragged him over. "Things have been too quiet since Fred and George started working so we're shaking it up. Hermione will come looking for us in about ten seconds because she knows we haven't finished the Potions Essay. So we rigged up a little waterfall to greet her."

Before Draco could respond to this, the door opened and the bucket of water fell, soaking Ginny. Harry and Ron burst out laughing while Draco stared in horror.

Ginny blinked. Then with a deep breath, she smiled serenely and said in such a quiet, calm tone that the boys should have recognized as deadly. "Mum sent me to ask what you boys thought of my new robes."

"Fetching." Harry smiled weakly, obviously sensing trouble ahead and wishing to keep himself intact, foolishly thought a compliment would smooth things over.

Ron could barely choke out an answer due to his laughter. "Dunno, sis, a bit damp, innit?"

"I imagine so, seeing as my idiot big brother decided to prank me. Not that it really matters. I'm no one important. Just little Ginny Weasley, you know?" She cocked her head to the side, eyes turning from cinnamon to deep dark amethyst, the whites gone, though Harry and Ron missed it as they stared ashamedly at the ground. "I'm not so little any more, Ron." In that instant everything glass broke; windows, glass panels in the cupboards, the clock, and Harry's glasses. They just shattered.

"What the . . ." Ron started. But Draco was already moving. He stepped forward, grasping Ginny's elbow and bodily moving her out the door, catching her as she fainted, her slim frame going limp. His back turned to Ron and Harry, shielding her from view; he scooped her up and carried her upstairs.

Hermione was reading at the window seat when he entered. Without looking up, she started to speak. "Ginny have you seen-what happened?" She dropped her book and moved to help him.

"Hermione, don't mean to be rude, but get out. Now."

Hermione froze in the act of adjusting the pillows. Slowly she nodded. Take care of her, Draco."

"Always do." After Hermione left, Draco released Ginny onto the bed, rushing to get something to clean up the blood. The scar had been torn open and if Hermione had seen the blood, she would have discovered the scar. Gently he placed the cold compress between her neck and the pillow. Then he started pacing. She'd be out for at least an hour, but he didn't have the patience to wait quietly.

Ginny sat up with a gasp. Memory registered. But she wasn't in the kitchen; she was in her bed.

"Finally awake, Gin?" The voice came from her right. She looked over to see Draco standing on his head, leaning against the wall. Not that this was unusual. Ever since he had learned the trick at nine, he often used the unusual stance to calm himself when rage or worry got too intense.

"How long have I been out?"

Draco flipped himself down. "Just under two hours."

"You weren't standing on your head that long were you?"

"No, I paced for an hour, then I searched your room for _Genevieve's Tower_. Couldn't find it, but I did find _Unicorn Legends_ and reread it until I couldn't concentrate. Then I went back to my childhood habit."

"I'm surprised that your head isn't completely flat by now. And you'll never find the book unless I decide to tell you where it is."

"You put the fidelous charm on my book?"

"No, just a good hiding spot." Ginny sighed. "Just tell me. What did I do?"

"You went cold, remote, and untouchable. Your eyes turned dark purple with no white. You cocked your head, shrugged, and shattered every piece of glass in the room. I forced you out before you fainted, but Granger was up here when I carried you in."

"No ministry letter about the misuse of magic?"

"None."

"Damn it." Ginny buried her face in her arms, bringing her knees up to her chest, feeling sobs choking her throat. A moment later, she felt Draco's arm around her shaking shoulders as he settled on the bed beside her. She started to pull away but changed her mind and leaned into the shelter he provided, resting her head against his chest over his heart, knowing the steady heartbeat would calm her. He rested his chin on her head and rocked her back and forth.

Hermione opened the door carefully. Draco was sitting on the bed, with Ginny cradled to his side, head pillowed against his chest. His long pale fingers stroked her flame red hair.

"Draco?" she asked tentatively. "Is she okay?"

"Woke up, then cried herself back to sleep."

"The ministry letter upset her that much? I mean it was a powerful bit of magic, but it was only her first offense. She only got a warning, right?"

"Er-yeah. But she's stressed and it upset her even further."

"I'm sorry they did that."

"It's not your fault."

"Dinner is ready. Should we wake her?"

"No, let her sleep." Carefully he maneuvered Ginny down onto the pillows, covering her with the blanket at the foot of the bed, before following Hermione.

Mrs. Weasley looked up when they entered. "Is Ginny alright?"

"Asleep."

"Those two will apologize ASAP, I promise." Harry and Ron had the brains to look apologetic when Mrs. Weasley glared at them.

Hermione didn't remember how the subject came up. She suspected that they had all had one too many butterbeers. But all of a sudden they were talking about their destiny and/or purpose in life. Harry to kill Voldemort. Mrs. Weasley to raise a brood of heroes, etc.

It was Ron who had posed the question to Malfoy. "So what do you think your purpose is, Malfoy?"

Draco swallowed his food, and bit his lip before answering. "To Protect Ginny."

Ron's eyes widened. "From what? Why?"

"I don't know. She's powerful and it'll get her into trouble someday. And I'll need to get her out of it."

"Protecting my baby sister is your sole purpose in life?" Ron asked skeptically. "Why?"

Draco shrugged. "It's the only worthwhile thing I've ever done."

Ron was angry. He couldn't sleep because of what Malfoy said at dinner. It wasn't fair for Malfoy to act human when he was just a twitchy little ferret and to care about Ron's sister at the same time? Well that was a low down dirty trick, because Ron really did adore his little sister and secretly thought that she did need an extra bodyguard to keep her out of trouble. But having Malfoy appoint himself as Ginny's guardian was too much. Ron needed a swim to clear his head.


	8. Scars

Disclaimer: The characters are not mine. The plot is. Such is the life of a fanfiction author to my great displeasure.

Draco swam to the surface, breaking through the water; glad that the hair cut Ginny had given him was short enough to stay out of his way. He swam towards the bank, until he could walk through the water. He had to get back. If Ginny woke up and discovered him gone, she'd pitch a fit, and quite possibly chain him to the floor.

"Race you to the dock, Harry. Last one in is a rotten mandrake!"

Draco dropped to his knees, so that the water came to his shoulders as the other boys thundered down the dock and two splashes interrupted the stillness.

"Go on and say it, Harry."

"I'm a mandrake. Satisfied?"

"You forgot the rotten part-hey! Who's there? Malfoy?"

"Sorry, I was going."

"Don't let us keep you," Ron said obnoxiously.

Harry reached over and dunked his friend before Ron said something that got them into trouble with Hermione, Ginny, and Mrs. Weasley. "We didn't realize you were here. Sorry, we disturbed you."

"I was leaving."

"If you were hoping to sneak back in before I discovered your absence, you're too late, Draco." Ginny dropped to the ground and untied her sneakers, before peeling the t-shirt she was using as a swimsuit cover up, over her head. "What happened to waiting for sun rise?"

"Couldn't sleep." Ginny nodded and dove in. Draco sat there pondering his choices. Everyone was out here, it would be rude to go back in, and even if he did, there would be no way to go without everyone seeing the scars. If he was going to reveal his deepest secret, he may as well do it having fun rather than hiding. "I guess I'll stay. Since I'm already caught, there is no sense in going in." He pulled himself up onto the dock, allowing the group to see the scars.

**Hermione's Point of View:**

_I wanted to cry. Or scream. Or possibly puke. I've seen them before but the reality of it is too awful. Who could do that to another person, let alone a small child? So many lashes, how could Malfoy have taken them all?_

**Harry's Point of View:**

_Ron told us about the scars, Hermione warned us that they'd be bad. But nothing could have possibly prepared me to see the evidence of another human being mistreated like an animal. How much of his attitude was just a desperate struggle to survive his father's torture?_

**Ron's Point of View:**

_Bloody Hell! Bloody Hell! How . . . what . . .why? I think I'm going to hurl. His back is like a hundred times worse than what I saw before. I would have just keeled over and died if someone took a whip to me like that. Why didn't he take Ginny's offer and stay with us from the beginning?_

**Ginny's Point of View:**

_I was thrilled when Draco did that. He stopped caring about the scars. Harry, Ron, and Hermione look sick. I don't think they were ready for this. But Draco needed this. The only question is: Will they give him respect now?_

Ron finally regained control of his tongue by the time Draco came up for air. "Water war anyone?" He lifted Hermione onto his shoulders, and Draco followed his lead.

Harry managed a scowl. "Not enough girls to go around, yet again. I'm gonna get crushed."

"I do believe I should like to play this game."

Ginny grinned as Harry's gaze snapped up to the petite blonde. His mouth was open and he was completely speechless. Since she couldn't stand to see one of her boys making a total fool out of themselves, she spoke up, "Hi, Luna. Glad you could make it. How was Sweden?"

"Dismal. Not a crumple-horned snorkack to be seen. Daddy reckons Africa may be more likely. Are you sure your mum doesn't mind fitting me in? After all between you lot and the gaggle of Eddy-finks, she must be exhausted."

From her vantage point on Draco's shoulders Ginny had distinctly heard a barely suppressed snort of laughter from the boy at Luna's first comment. Now his attempt to cover his laughter nearly pitched them both into the water. She smacked him lightly and answered Luna. "Mum can handle anything. Care to join the water war? Harry needs a teammate."

"Love too." She waited patiently for Harry to come to his senses and lift her onto his shoulders. "So what are the rules to this game?"

"If one of the teammates falls, that team is disqualified. The idea is to knock over the other teams without actually touching them."

"1 . . . 2 . . . 3." **Splash!**

Ron and Hermione won as usual. Now they sat on the dock, studying the stars as Hermione pointed out the constellations and Luna created her own. Ginny leaned back against Draco already half asleep. Luna also looked tired and Hermione's voice drifted off. Ginny closed her eyes. She never heard the boys' quiet conversation.

"So do we leave them here or carry them back?" Harry asked as the sun began to rise.

"Carry them. They're light." It was a long walk back up to the Burrow, but after they returned the girls to their beds, they were treated to an early breakfast of amazing food, that Molly had ready.


	9. The Boys Start The War

Disclaimer: JK Rowling is the genius behind the characters. I'm just playing for absolutely no profit. The title of this and the next chapter come from a series of books by Naylor.

"The very first man to manage a dragon animagi was Vladimir the Vicious, known for using his dragon guise to terrify small muggle village during the medieval times. Though undoubtedly powerful, his morals in eating young princesses, and setting the thatch roofs of the peasants ablaze were questionable."

"Eww." Ginny wrinkled her nose. "Let's skip ahead to that Princess who became a unicorn. I'm pretty sure she didn't eat her fellow princesses."

"Just reenacted the Greek Tragedy of Echo."

"I liked that myth."

"The guy was too self-centered to even eat. And she was such a gossip that Hera got ticked off enough to curse her."

"Just read it."

Draco sighed and rolled over to look up at6 the ceiling. "It's your turn to read."

"Wimp." Ginny ignored his smirk and flipped the pages until she found the right one. "Princess Remembrance was the youngest of seven and was gifted with magical abilities, so her muggle parents sent her to Merlin for training. He taught her everything he knew but placed a spell on her, so if she ever set a foot out of his domain, she would forget everything. By the time she was fourteen she had mastered the art of the animagi, able to turn into a unicorn at will. At this time a messenger boy two years her senior was sent to Merlin and the star-crossed pair fell in love. She promised to leave in a fortnight after her last lesson, a most important concept that would make them wealthy. As soon as Merlin imparted his final words of wisdom to her, she became a unicorn and fled the estate, but once she left she forgot everything including how to return to her human state. The boy found only an elegant unicorn in the place they had arranged to meet. In despair, he flung himself over the falls. Merlin returned the princess to his castle and to her human state. Princess Remembrance wasted away in the Eastern Tower, scrying for her lover's body in her crystal hand mirror."

"Like I said. Echo and Narcissus."

Ginny picked up the book and reached to smack him over the head with it, but he grabbed her wrists and plucked the book from her grasp with his free hand. "That book is too fine for corporal punishment and far too heavy."

"Might knock some sense into your thick skull."

"_Far from likely, Madame, far from likely. Thou art too lovely a vision for something as trifling as common sense to invade_. Or so quoth Lancelot."

"Can you two be quiet? I'm trying to study," Ron hissed.

At this Ginny leapt to her feet. "Bloody hell, he is! The king has troubled himself to open a book!"

Draco caught the title and smothered a chuckle before adding, "It's even right side up."

"I think I'm going to go into shock. Hermione, your boyfriend is studying!" Ginny yelled.

Hermione smiled sweetly at him, and leaned forward to kiss his cheek. "I know. He's so smart." She squeezed his fingers before getting up. "I'm going to go check on dinner. Ginny?"

The girls left and Ron unmagicked the book, revealing his comic. "Thanks, Draco." If they had seen the title, I would have been a goner and the twins would never let me live it down."

"We all need a piece of sanity from the crazy women who run our lives. If _Captain Comet_ comics are yours, then enjoy it as long as you can."

"Yeah, you know that book you two always quote? Ginny promised to give it to Hermione on Friday. Can I borrow it first to surprise her with middle age gallantry?"

"Ginny has it too well hidden and I sleep in the spare bedroom now."

"Promise you won't tell her I know this, but she has a secret drawer in her nightstand, where she keeps her diary and stuff like that. The password is 'Charm Bracelet.' Harry and I can provide a diversion for the girls if you can nick it."

"Why not?"

Draco stood in the kitchen in full sight of the girls waiting for Harry's signal. Hermione and Ginny were outside with Luna whom the boys had taken into their confidence, watching Ron and Harry's antics on the brooms. He poured another glass of lemonade, dawdling as long as possible. Finally he saw a flash of red falling and another flash of red chasing after it, accompanied by Hermione's scream. The girls raced towards the improvised pitch, and Draco tore up the stairs. He dropped to his knees and felt for the catch. "Charm Bracelet." The drawer shot open revealing a number of interesting things; a diary, a gold locket, some of his drawings, and one very small leather-bound book. "Yes." He snatched it up and slammed the drawer shut, before running downstairs. As he turned the corner into the kitchen, he collided with Harry.

"Ice," the other boy panted.

"I thought you caught him!" Draco opened the freezer and pulled out an ice pack.

"I did. He hit his head on the handle of my Firebolt."

"Bloody typical." He picked up the book, muttering, "Conceal en mimic." He handed the newly created _Advanced Potions_ to Harry. "Here. He'll need to look like he's reading a text book in order to get back into Hermione's good graces."

"Good idea."

"Sorry, Hermione, I can't find it anywhere. I think Fred and George must have figured out my password with their Extendable Ears and are trying to impress Angelina and Katie with it."

"I'll live, Ginny. I can read one of Ron's books until you track it down."

"I'll find it as fast as I can."

"Don't worry about it. He's pretty fascinated with that Potions book that Harry gave him. I think I'll give that a try."


	10. The Girls Get Even

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all other recognizable characters do not belong to me. They belong to JKR. The title of this and the previous chapter are taken from a series of books by Naylor.

Draco was degnoming the garden again. Persistent little buggers, though as stupid as Goyle. He caught one and pitched it over the hedge. It would be a long afternoon.

**"Ronald Weasley! How did you get this book?"** Draco straightened and stared at the house. He hadn't realized that Hermione's voice held the capacity for this volume. He dropped the shovel and started towards the house. Then he heard a voice that made him run the rest of the way. Harry and Ron didn't stand a chance against Ginny's temper, with or without her unusual powers.

**"Ron! How could you go into my drawer like that? I sent Fred and George wartcap powder because of this!"**

By the time he reached the kitchen, battle lines had been drawn. Harry and Ron were cowering by the stove, behind the table. Hermione and Ginny stood on the other side, while Luna sat at the end of the table and unconcernedly read the Quibbler apparently immune to the shouted accusations.

He raised both hands in surrender. "I nicked it, Gin. Not your brother."

"I planned the diversion," Harry admitted.

"I asked them to," Ron pleaded.

Luna didn't say anything. Draco wondered idly for a half-second whether the blonde girl could even hear them. "We're sorry, girls."

**"You're sorry!"** Hermione shouted. **"He's the one who should be sorry!"** She picked up a handful of the mashed potatoes on the table and hit Ron square in the face with it, at the same time Ginny hit him in the chest with the pitcher of milk.

Ginny stood there with the empty pitcher in her hands and a look of horror on her face, as Ron wiped the potatoes out of his eyes and looked down at the wet spot on his shirt. Calmly he picked up the applesauce and threw it at Ginny. "This is war." Then it was a mad scramble for the food as a full-scale food fight broke out. Luna sat there reading, undisturbed by the food flying over her head until a banana cream pie landed on her magazine, and then with a startled yelp she was in the middle of it too.

**"What on earth do you lot think you're doing?"** Everyone froze midthrow and heads swiveled to see their worst nightmare standing in the doorway.

Mrs. Weasley.

Half an hour later, they were still on their hands and knees cleaning. Muggle cleaning. No magic. Draco tipped fresh water onto the floor and picked up his scrubbing brush, but before he could continue working, he saw something move inside the puddle. His father was waving a wand in anger. He threw the scrub brush at the puddle. "Damn it!" He caught Ginny's gaze. She had seen what he had accidentally scryed. Everyone else was staring at him, except for Luna who scrubbed dedicatedly at the cabinets.

"Ok, mate?" Ron asked.

"Fine." Draco attacked the puddle with an intensity that worried Ginny, but he continued to scrub, scattering the water that Lucius Malfoy had appeared in across the floor. The others returned to work, but glanced up occasionally at the boy who sat in the middle of a wet floor scrubbing the tile with a vengeance.

By the time their second dinner had been prepared, the girls were talking to them again, as they set the table, and they were currently discussing the cruel and unnatural punishment that Snape had assigned over the holidays, a two-foot parchment on the Polyjuice Potion. Every once in a while the Golden Trio's eyes would meet and they would all be struggling to control their laughter. He'd missed something, but Ginny and Luna seemed just as puzzled so he shrugged it off. Must be a Golden Trio thing.

Mrs. Weasley took the last of the plates from Ginny and told them to sit down, just as Mr. Weasley chuckled. "How was your day at work, Arthur? Bill? Charlie?"

Charlie looked over at Draco, who suddenly decided the violet pattern on the tablecloth needed his immediate attention as it did every day at dinner when this question was asked. "Nothing new."

After a moment of uncomfortable silence, the twins appeared with two loud pops. "Mum, Angelina's trying to poison us," George whined.

"Can we steal the leftovers? We're starving!"

"Losing weight. The world is getting dimmer and-wait a second. Dinner's on the table."

"In that event," Fred smirked.

"Don't mind us. We'll just-"

"Grab us some plates," Fred laughed and grabbing a set from the cupboard, tossed one to George. "Why eating so late?"

"This lot had to cook a second dinner after destroying the one I made."

"What?"

"Food fight," Ron explained gloomily.

"All right! Who won?"

"They all lost. The kitchen had to be scrubbed and a meal had to be cooked."

"So who made what? I need to know what's safe to eat." George asked.

"We already know that Ron and Harry can't cook worth beans. How about you and Luna?" Fred directed towards Draco.

"All I did was boil the water for the pasta and put out the oven fire."

"That was my fault. I was trying to brown the meringue on my pie," Luna explained sweetly. "I'm afraid it got rather burnt."

"Not at all, Luna." Harry took a huge forkful and choked it down with a fake smile plastered across his face. "Excellent."

"You're so sweet." Luna leaned over and kissed his cheek. With an idiotic grin, Harry ate three more bites of the questionable substance, be fore he realized what he was eating and grabbed his glass of water.

George leaned over and asked Draco quietly, "I take it we've lost Harry to Luna then?" Draco nodded. "Brighter men have been lost. You're working day after tomorrow. Angelina is dragging Fred off to her family reunion."

"Okay."

"George, I wouldn't eat that spaghetti, if I were you." Ginny called out in a singsong voice. "Ron made it."

George dropped the spoon as if it were a snake and looked at the food. "Um, Ron? I think it's safe to say that you didn't inherit mum's cooking talents." He poked it cautiously. "Why are there little-uh-lime green things in it?"

"I thought that was chili powder," Ron said scratching his head, as everyone choked and reached for their water glasses.

"Ginny's apple turnovers anyone?" Hermione asked brightly, displaying a tray of perfectly browned turnovers.

"Draco! Wake up and let me in," Ginny hissed, raising her hand to knock again but the door opened before she got a chance. A tousled Draco Malfoy looked down at her. "About time."

"One, it wasn't locked, but more importantly it's three in the morning."

"I know," she said cheerfully, before crossing and sitting on the bed that used to be Fred's. He collapsed on the second one and buried his face under the pillow. "Draco, sit up."

"You're too cheerful for three in the morning."

"Consider it punishment for going into my secret drawer. I can't sleep, so I want to talk."

"Talk about what?"

"The new Madame Malkins Catalog. Punishment, remember?"

Draco groaned and buried his head under the pillow again.


	11. The Howler That Didn't Howl

**Disclaimer: Anything recognizable is the property of JK Rowling.**

The kitchen was silent as everyone was still half-asleep, then an owl flew in. The bird dropped a howler in front of Draco and everyone braced themselves for the explosion. But there was no shouting. Though originally whisper soft, the woman's voice was amplified to just about speaking level, as she sang. "Hush my little one. Don't say a word. Mother will buy you a mocking bird." The familiar lullaby continued, and everyone realized who was singing it. Tears were falling from Mrs. Weasley's eyes, as well as Ginny's, but Draco sat there like a rock, a horrible fake smile in place. As the woman's voice drifted off, a harsh voice they all recognized screeched loudly. "You will come home immediately and take the mark, or all you love will suffer for it!" The howler exploded into a puff of smoke, dropping two rings onto the table.

As he stared at the rings, Draco choked out an apology and ran out the door, Ginny not far behind. They heard the retching and Mrs. Weasley filled a cup with water and handed it to Harry. "Take that out to Draco, Harry dear."

"Yes, ma'am."

Ginny waited patiently for Draco to empty his stomach. Harry had appeared with a glass of water, which she now offered Draco, as he stepped away from the bushes wiping his mouth. He drank it in one gulp, but his voice was still scratchy when he finally spoke. "She sang that when I was little. Remember, I taught it to you one night when we were kids."

"I remember."

"He killed her. He did it. I know he did!" Draco hit the tree and collapsed onto the ground. "He killed his own wife!"

"Did you hear that, Eriksen? That's the Malfoy boy. He knows who killed Lady Malfoy. Draco, dear, may I have a moment?"

Rita Skeeter came rushing at him, but was knocked backwards by a force field that Ginny threw up, dropping it as the rest of the family came rushing to investigate the noise. "Stop right there, Rita. You won't write anything and you'll give me the film."

Rita eyed her suspiciously. "This is the story of the century, little girl. You can't expect me to give it up."

"You promised that you wouldn't write stories about Harry or any of his friends, in exchange for us keeping your secret," Hermione protested.

"But this is the Malfoy boy. You've never gotten along."

"What are you talking about, Rita?" Harry scoffed. "Draco's one of my best mates. And you don't want to come after one of my friends, do you?"

"Of course not."

"You won't write a story about any of this understand?"

"Clear as crystal," she sulked.

"Good. Now clear out and don't 'forget' to give Ginny the film." Harry turned back to Draco who was standing in shock, whether at Rita overhearing him or being called one of Harry's best mates. "Draco? You okay?"

"Yeah. Where's Charlie?"

"Inside."

Draco turned and entered the house. "What do you need to know? I'll do anything to make sure he pays for this."

"I'd need a full account of what's been going on for the last ten years, what happened that night before you left, and what you found the next morning. Can you do that?"

"Whatever it takes."

"Let me get my briefcase and I'll meet you in the living room. The rest of you clear out for awhile."

"Ginny stays."

"Right."

The Golden Trio sat at the kitchen table with their summer assignments (Luna with the quibbler. What else?), waiting for Charlie and Draco to finish. After three hours, Charlie emerged with a shaken look, extraordinarily pale. "I have to go to the Ministry. If we can't get Lucius Malfoy on murder, we can get him on sixteen years of Child Abuse and Domestic violence. That'll put him in Azkaban for life."

"It was that bad?" Harry asked, guiltily.

"I sincerely hope Draco never sees the man again."

A few minutes later, Draco and Ginny walked out. Ginny's eyes were red from crying, but Draco looked relieved. "Swimming anyone?"

They all agreed, wary of his emotions after a long hard morning, and as soon as they changed and Luna fetched the picnic basket that Mrs. Weasley had prepared for them, the boys raced for the lake while the girls drifted along behind.

Hermione studied Ginny closely, but didn't comment on her red eyes, choosing a different avenue for getting to the truth. "How's Draco?"

"Better than he's been in a long while. He's letting go of the why. It happened. His father will be punished, and no one he loves will get hurt. I, on the other hand, feel incredibly guilty. Older brothers can do that to you. Charlie kept looking at me with a disappointed look, when Draco explained about the whip, the cane, the curses, etc. And I deserved that look, because I knew all along and didn't tell. I couldn't, but I should have."

"You really care about him, don't you? Not in just a friend way either."

"Yes. He loves me too. I know he does, but nothing will convince him to put me in danger."

"Well, you never know, unless you try," Luna offered philosophically.

Hermione giggled. "Besides what guy can truly resist a beautiful, smart girl who can talk about quidditch?"

"Draco, do you fancy my little sister any?"

"No." After a moment of silence, Draco clarified. "I love her."

"Then why don't you tell her, man? She's crazy about you."

"Exactly. As long as my father and Voldemort are around to hurt her, I can't be anything more than friends."

Harry looked up. "I get your father would be none too happy about you dating a Weasley, but what would Voldemort want with Ginny?"

"Nothing," Draco said a bit too quickly. "I don't want him to connect her with me. That's all. I see the girls. Want to scare 'em?" he changed topics swiftly.

"Nah, we're in too much trouble as it is. Hurry up, 'Mione!" The girls giggled and ignored them, setting up the picnic, and chatting. Ron looked from them to Harry and Draco. "What are they talking about?"

"Us, I recon," Harry said with a shrug, then a look of horror. "Uh-oh."

"We'd better get back there," Ron said uneasily.

"Too late," Draco said in resignation. "They're laughing now. At least one of us has been completely humiliated."

"Do we stay here in an attempt to preserve our dignity or attempt to squash whatever happened?"

"What dignity?" Ron groaned. "I left my baby sister with my girlfriend. That's relationship suicide right there." He started back to the dock, and the other's followed. "What are you three howling about?"

"Nothing, King Ron, except your royal tantrums over being parted from your Chudley Cannon blankie," Ginny giggled.

Ron groaned loudly. "Someone knock me off the dock," he pleaded. Draco obliged. A moment later and Ron was back on the surface. "Care to drown me too?"

"Sorry, mate. You're on your own for that one," Draco laughed.


	12. Dragon's Tooth

**Disclaimer: Recognize Something? Then it doesn't belong to me. JK Rowling's world, my plot.**

"The thing that bothers me the most is the missing tooth. The body was badly mutilated, and by the same dragon, but the right canine is missing every time."

"So? That's how you tell that the bites are from the same dragon, innit?"

"No, Bill. Dragons regrow a lost fang within ten seconds of losing it. That's why you can wear that earring. Since the fangs regrow, it isn't illegal to pull them. But this dragon seems to have permanently lost a fang and that's impossible."

"Not a dragon then?"

"The claw and other fang marks are perfect matches for the Welsh. The savageness of the murder seems correct, but there's almost a method of what items were cleaned as if a human came in after the dragon left and removed some crucial evidence. If I had that, then I could probably put the whole murder together."

"Draco, what are you doing?" Ginny dropped onto her bed and leaned over the opposite edge to see what Draco was doing. He was reading the animagi book. "Looking for something?"

"Kind of. I don't know how to explain it, but something at the back of my head saw or read something important. I'm trying to find out what." He closed the book and looked up at her. "What are you up to today?"

"Hiding from the snogging fest in the living room. They seriously need to consider an alternative hobby."

"Doubt the suggestion will go over well." He tugged her braid and ducked the playful swipe. "Let them enjoy what they can. They've had a remarkably boring summer according to Hermione."

"She means that no one and nothing has tried to kill Harry yet. We still have over four weeks before school starts. I'm not betting on it until it's down to one."

"I see. Did you know that your birthday is three days away?" With a grin, Ginny nodded. "What would you like?" The confused expression made him laugh. "One charm doesn't seem like enough. What else should I get you?"

"A cat."

Draco blinked. He hadn't been expecting that answer. "A cat?" Ginny nodded. "Okay, what kind?"

"Pick for me."

"Making this easy on me, eh?" he said in a sarcastic tone already going over the different breeds in his mind. She smiled sweetly. "What are you doing for your birthday?"

"It's Harry's birthday too. I don't know what'll happen. We'll probably have a party for him, and me too."

"I see. You do know that you come before Harry Potter, right?"

"He's got a hard life. He should have a good birthday. I've had some great ones for the last fourteen years. This year is his first real birthday. He should have a great party."

"If you're sure." Draco grabbed her and pulled her off the bed down next to him.

After a moment of wrestling, she rested on top of him. "Pinned you." Draco looked up at her with cloudy eyes and leaned forward to kiss her. In surprise she kissed him back. When they broke it off to breathe, she looked at him in shock. "Wasn't expecting that."

"Neither was I." With a sigh, Draco shifted her weight so that she was sitting next to him. "I'm sorry, Ginny."

"I hate those words."

"I know. But Voldemort wants me to take the mark. I'm supposed to be his heir. I don't want him to hurt you."

"Draco, you're talking to someone who has the same mark as Harry Potter. He probably already wants to kill me." She paused. "You're afraid he'll use me to get to you."

"Exactly. If he threatened you, I'd cave in a second. You're my best friend. Nine years. You are the only thing that I love and the only power anyone would have over me is if they had you. I can't let them know how much I care for you, or I would be signing your death warrant."

Ginny leaned forward and kissed his cheek. "I love you. That will never change. When Voldemort is gone, I'll be right there with you. You have me for life."

"I'm sorry."

"I know. It doesn't matter." Ginny stood and pulled him to his feet. "Let's go eat dinner, and then we'll tackle this book again. Two heads are better than one."


	13. A Party No One Will Ever Forget

**Disclaimer: I only wish that they were mine.**

**A/N: The long awaited double birthday.**

Ginny threw another book onto the pile of useless information. It was late. Draco was asleep at the desk, a book still open in his hand. She removed it, and then touched his shoulder. He stirred, but didn't waken. Ginny began piling the books that were useless. She'd return them to Hermione and her father tomorrow. She looked at the clock; it was midnight. She was fifteen years old. Idly, she wondered if Harry kept the same countdown staying awake until midnight to celebrate his birthday.

She spotted a slim leather bound book that was too large to be a normal book, under Draco's arm. Curious, she slid it free and opened it. The first page simply read 'Private Property of Draconis Caedesis Malfoy.' She slid her hand around the edge of the book (an ability to feel potential curses was another gift that she had picked up) but it was safe. She turned the page and realized what the book was. It was Draco's sketchbook and it was filled with detailed drawings of her charms, notes on what he wanted them to do and what they were to be made out of. She had never realized that Draco designed them himself. She resisted turned to the last page, because she knew that her newest charm would be there and she couldn't ruin the surprise. She smiled and replaced the book, before shaking Draco awake and sending him to bed, rather than the desk chair.

"Happy Birthday, dear," Mrs. Weasley greeted her daughter from the stove. "What would you like for breakfast?"

"Cinnamon French Toast, please." Ginny sat in her chair and tried not to notice (i.e.: stare longingly at) the piles of presents that had begun to accumulate on the coffee table.

Ron stumbled into the kitchen and dropped in the nearest chair neglecting to notice that it was Hermione's chair or that Crookshanks was curled up on it. The cat leapt out of danger at the last second, stalking over to Hermione who picked up and stroked the miffed cat as she sat in Ron's seat. "What's for breakfast, Mrs. Weasley?" she asked politely.

"Porridge."

"But you just gave Ginny French Toast," Ron complained.

"It's her birthday," Mrs. Weasley huffed in exasperation.

"So pretend it's my birthday too," Ron whined. Mrs. Weasley shot him a withering look and he crumbled. "Oh well. Happy Birthday, Gin."

"I didn't know it was your birthday, Ginny," Hermione said in a distressed tone. "I didn't get you anything."

"That's okay, Mione," Ginny shrugged pushing away the sinking feeling that was growing in her stomach. She snuck a peek at the presents and realized for the first time that there was an awful lot of boy wrapping paper. They were all Harry's presents. Oh.

"Where's Draco?" her mum asked.

"Asleep. We were reading late last night, so I let him be."

"Still looking for that mysterious puzzle piece?" Ron asked around a mouthful of porridge. To everyone's surprise, he had raised no argument when Draco moved back into Ginny's room after the Howler, while Luna and Hermione moved up to the twin's old room.

"Always."

"Once the big party is over, we'll help you look," he promised.

"Thanks, Ron," came a voice from behind Ginny. "Happy Birthday, Ginny." Draco slid a white jewelry box onto her magically cleaned plate, and sat next to her. "Go ahead and open it. I know you want to," he laughed with traces of a mischievous smirk evident.

Ginny carefully pulled off the silver ribbon and opened the lid. Nestled on the dark green velvet was an emerald dragon charm with onyx teeth, spines, wings, and claws with silver eyes, all in perfect detail, no bigger than a sickle. "Oh."

"Atashmente." The charm flew on to Ginny's bracelet flexing its wings. "I thought you needed a dragon."

"It's perfect. Thank you!" Ginny hugged him tightly, and then held out her wrist for the others to see.

Hermione examined the charm closely, touching them lightly to spark the charmed movement, the wand to shoot a spark, the sword to flash, the unicorn to gallop and toss it's head, the hippogriff to swoop from left to right, the broom stick to tilt, the dance shoes to spin, the ruby to turn opalesque and open the locket (no picture yet in case you were wondering), the snitch to fly around Ginny's wrist and return to the chain, and the dragon to flex it's wings again. "I've never seen such exquisite charms even in the magic world."

"They're one of a kind. An artist designs them and the finest silversmiths craft them according to his exact instructions."

"But you're the one . . ." Ginny started in confusion.

Draco smirked at her. "Yes, Ginny?" he asked in an oh-so-innocent voice.

Too late, Ginny clamped her mouth shut. But with everyone's eyes on her, she couldn't escape. So in a small voice she made her confession. "I looked in your sketchbook last night after you fell asleep. How'd you know?"

"I wasn't asleep."

Her guilt turned to indignation. "You . . . you . . ." she sputtered. Finally she closed her eyes and calmed herself.

"Better watch out, Draco. Ginny's plotting something," Ron remarked quietly. "She can be as devious as the twins if she wants to be."

"Worse," Ginny reminded him sweetly. "I'll get him later. We're supposed to start decorating the house and I'd hate to lose slave labor. Kidding, Hermione," she added hastily as Hermione opened her mouth, undoubtedly to begin a lecture on S.P.E.W.

At that moment, Harry wandered down the stairs and into the kitchen, by chance looking into the living room and seeing the stack of gifts, he gasped. "I didn't think even I was this popular."

"You're not," Ron said in what was meant to be a comforting voice. "Some are probably Gin's."

"RON!"

Harry furrowed his brow. "Ginny's? I didn't know that today was her birthday. No one said anything."

"I didn't want you to know, Harry," Ginny sighed. "No one else, 'cept for Draco, knew either. I asked him to keep it a secret, so that you could enjoy your party. Ron just had to open his big mouth."

"Sorry, sis."

"That's not right, Ginny. It's your birthday too. I don't mind sharing my birthday," he teased. "After all, there are six billion other people on this planet. I'm sure that at least half a dozen have the same birthday as me."

"If you're sure," Ginny frowned unhappy with the arrangement. "I guess so."

"I'm very sure."

"Mione, thank you! It's gorgeous." Ginny wrapped the delicate lacy purple scarf around her neck. She had wondered what Hermione had been doing all day; every time Ginny entered, Hermione would chuck whatever it was she was working on under the nearest throw pillow and everyone would begin smirking. "This is the fastest knitting job I've ever seen you undertake, as well as the most beautiful."

"Hey," Harry protested. "My scarf is just as cool. In case you missed it, mine has dragons knitted into it, instead of some frilly pattern. Honestly, I don't know why girls consent to wear such silly things. They're so pointless. Wouldn't you rather wear-"

They never found out what Harry meant to say, as in that moment all the torches went out, and the fire pit roared up as a twelve shadowy figures spilled forth from it. One of which, was Voldemort.

Approximately one-third of the guests (the older ones who did not attend DA) sat in shock. The Hogwarts attendees and members of the Order leapt to their feet wands raised as Voldemort stepped forward. Harry slowly rose from his chair, wand in hand. "Voldemort," he spat. "Can't let me have one decent birthday, can you?"

"Self-centered as usual, Potter," Voldemort sneered. "Who says this has anything to do with you?" Harry froze midspell and the dark wizard chuckled mirthlessly. "Yes, I've another to take care of before you."

Draco stood and stared straight into Voldemort's eyes. "You can't have her."

"You dare to tell me what I can't have, boy! Hiding from your future only delays the inevitable, Draconis Caedesis. Lucius has every right to be disgusted with you."

"And I with him!" Draco's voice raised in power as well as volume. The others stood ready but willing to allow him to continue this verbal battle, a war of words that may increase the odds of survival. "How can one hide from destiny if they don't even know what it is? It has something to do with my blood, I know. I've been told all my life about my 'special' blood, and how it would make my father rich and powerful. But without it, your power means nothing. Without me, you have nothing. I am no toy to be yanked back and forth between you and my father. I hold the power."

"A power you know nothing about and have no idea how to use."

"More than you have. You're not taking her."

"Her?" Ron croaked. "Which her?"

"The perfect golden child, the second and last hope for humanity didn't bother to tell the whole truth to her family and friends?" Voldemort laughed cruelly. "Never bothered to mention the oh-so-familiar scar at the base of her neck. Dear me. Perhaps Draco has served a worthwhile purpose in befriending her after all. No protections to work through, Dumbledore, because for once I knew something before you did. And now Ginevra is mine, her power under my control."

"You can't have her, Voldemort. If Ginny belongs to anyone, she belongs to me," Draco's voice was total confidence, no wavering, despite the fact that Ginny was shaking terribly. "Mine."

"Foolish boy, even if you knew your power, even if Ginevra had learned to control her own, do you think I came alone with mere deatheaters? Say hello to you mother's killer, my boy."

Not even bothering to look up at the sky, Draco dove at Ginny knocking her to the ground and rolling her under the table as the huge dragon swooped from the sky. It snatched up Fudge instead and moments later the ground was splattered with red blood. "Get down!" he shouted at the dream team. Charlie had already forced his parents under the table. Ron was quick to obey pulling Hermione and Luna with him, but Harry simply stood staring at Voldemort. "Get down here, damn it!" Draco lunged for Potter's feet and pulled him down just as a jet of fire came across the table. "Are you trying to get killed?"

"I won't let him tear her life apart too. I'll kill him first."

"Too late, Potter. It's been in shreds since the Chamber of Secrets. She's learned to live with it. Don't commit suicide for an innocence that has already been lost."

"Fine, what's the plan?"

"Distract Voldemort as best as you can. The others are already taking care of the deatheaters. Ginny, you know what to look for."

"What?" Harry demanded.

"I need a silver chain."

Seven minutes later, Draco had what he needed in his hand. Luna hadn't even needed an explanation as to why she must give up her locket. He looked out over the yard. Other than Fudge (whom he really didn't give a fig about), there had been no casualties as of yet, a small miracle in itself. He would have one chance, and one only. He had to make it count. The dragon swooped down at the Weasley Twins and Draco ran, leapt, and flung his silver bridle around the dragon's head and into its mouth. "Stop!" he ordered. "Turn and spray your flame at your comrades." Helpless against the silver, the dragon obeyed, and Draco's spirits lifted. If he took out the deatheaters, distracted Voldemort, than maybe Potter could kill the dark wizard and end the whole thing. But then the dragon morphed as it touched the ground, and Draco fell off, still clinging to the silver chain. A deatheater stood where the dragon had been, his face concealed by the robe. He snapped the chain and tossed it at Draco along with a sharp kick to Draco's stomach, before striding off.

Ginny dashed out of hiding and towards him, only to have the deatheater grab her by her long hair and start dragging her away. Draco heard her cry. Unable to get to his feet, he pulled out his wand, shakily aimed and muttered "Draconis Caedesis." It had to be a spell. It had to be. They picked his name for a reason.

The deatheater howled as he was sprayed with a red substance. Draco bit back a cry as pain exploded in his hand, like a knife had been drawn across from it. Dancing in pain, the deatheater had released Ginny, who kicked him in the shins and ran to Draco. "What was that? Draco, please." She dropped to her knees and pulled the wand out of his hand, gasping at the blood wherever his skin had touched the wand, as if the wand had completely burned the skin away, to allow blood to rush forth. She ripped the sash from her robe and wound it around his hand tightly in a desperate effort to staunch the flow of blood. "Hold still." A spell missed them by inches, and Ginny changed her mind. "Let's get out of here." She pulled him to his feet and supporting most of his weight dragged him to the safety of the table.

Harry hated dueling and decided that if it meant he'd never have to do it again, then it might be worth asking Snape for extra lessons on how to do it right. Voldemort knocked him backward, and a deatheater chose the moment to run forward and deliver a chilling message. "He knows his power now, milord." In prompt response, Voldemort let out an ear shattering cry, and all the deatheaters promptly disapparated from the area.

Harry struggled to his feet and looked around him at the others and frowned. "What was that all about?"


	14. Putting The Pieces Together

"Lay him here," Mrs. Weasley cried, gesturing to the sofa and allowing the Weasley Twins to set the blonde boy down. Draco was barely conscious and the blood flow had not yet ceased. "Albus, what is this?"

"I'm afraid I don't know."

Snape moved forward. "Don't touch his blood, it'll burn straight through your hand."

"What are you on about, Severus?" Mr. Weasley demanded.

"Think about what the Dark Lord called him. It's Latin. Don't you know what it means?"

Charlie stepped forward. "I do. Snape is right. We can't touch Draco's blood. It's highly acidic, about the same level as an actual dragon's blood."

"What are you talking about?" Ginny pleaded. "I wrapped his hand. I touched his blood. It didn't harm me."

"Miss Weasley, was what Voldemort said true?" Dumbledore asked quietly.

" Yes, sir," she whispered. "He tried to kill me in the Chamber of Secrets. It didn't work. I don't know why." She lifted her hair and the crowd gasped to see the scar.

"I think I do. But it will have to wait. Harry, if it is safe for Ginny to touch Draco's blood, I think it will be safe for you too. Can you two stop the bleeding?"

Harry looked down at the other boy who had silently and mercifully fallen unconscious. "Yes."

"Then do so. I'm going to fetch more aurorers and Madame Pomfrey. The rest of you clear out. Clean up the field, make sleeping arrangements, anything to keep you busy. I will be back within an hour."

"Don't jostle him," Ginny snapped at Ron.

"Ginny, I'm okay. I got dizzy for half a second. It's not your brother's fault," Draco reassured her. Ron was helping him into the kitchen where the council of war was being held and Ginny was overseeing the process with a critical eye. "Can you just open the door?"

Before Ginny could reach for it, the door opened and Dumbledore nodded them in. The council was small, no unnecessary members. The only attendees were Snape, Tonks, Charlie, Harry, Mr. And Mrs. Weasley, and Lupin. "Do come in you two. Thank you, Mr. Weasley."

"Yes, sir."

Draco slipped into the offered chair and looked at Snape. "What does it mean?"

"What does what mean, Mr. Malfoy?"

"Don't play games with me. What does my name mean? You were one of them then. You know. What does it mean?"

"How much Latin do you know?"

"My first name. Veritas means truth. Little stuff like that."

"Draconis Caedesis means Dragon Blood."

"What does it mean? Why was I named that?"

"Because you have dragon blood in your veins. I don't know how. I don't know why. I don't really care. But Voldemort has a purpose for you and I don't intend to let him fulfill it."

"Severus, we have more important things to worry about right now. Voldemort was after Ginny. We need to ascertain why."

"Because I have the same mark as Harry. Why else?"

"Why you?"

"Because I didn't die, when he tried Avada Kedavra."

"Harry didn't die, because his mother died protecting him. Who sacrificed everything for you, Ginny?"

Draco sat up. " I did." There was a silence. "I used my blood in a spell from the restricted section of the library. I knew something was wrong with her, because she kept disappearing and couldn't remember why. So I did a protection spell."

"How did you get _Awareness and Prevention_ out of the restricted section?" Dumbledore said sharply.

"Same way Potter got a hold of _Potente Potions_. I asked Professor Lockhart to sign it out to me. He likes signing his own name. Wouldn't be surprised if others did the same."

"Madame Pince shared the same concern with me. But a Protection spell is very dangerous. Most full-grown wizards can't manage it, let alone a mere second year. And it has never been known to hold up against an Avada Kedavra."

"Except Draco used two portions of dragon's blood; one from the student supply-cupboard and his own blood. An unsteady source of power which absorbed the force of Avada Kedavra and turned it into an untapped source of power that bursts forward during times of extreme need or total loss of control," Snape lectured. "Which once again puts us back at the question of Draco's blood. It seems to be the core root of everything that has happened. And it has most likely made Miss Weasley even more powerful than Harry Potter. It probably even explains the dragon and how easy it was to tame him."

"That was just the silver halter. He had to transform to get away from it."

"How come no one told me in forth year that a silver halter would tame a dragon?" Harry asked in an attempt to lighten the mood. He was ignored.

Lupin nodded. "It's obvious that the dragon was really an animagus, a simple deatheater. But which one?"

"Process of elimination. Who wasn't there that should have been?"

"My father," Draco stated. "Can we prove it?"

"Possibly. An animagus explains the missing tooth. Is Lucius missing his right canine?" Charlie asked.

"Yes. He lost it the first time Voldemort placed him under the Cruciatious Curse. Once he proved himself a loyal follower, the Dark Lord replaced it with one of silver, my father's most prized possession."

"Excellent. We can prove he killed your mother if we can find that silver tooth. Now I would like to know how Lucius Malfoy became a dragon animagus. They're extraordinarily rare. Usually passed genetically . . ."

"Genetically! Ginny, go get the animagus book!" Ginny dashed off and Draco kicked the table leg only to wish he hadn't. "I should have known. Right there all along. We've had his portrait in our main hall for centuries."

"Mr. Malfoy, what are you talking about?"

"The book." He took it from Ginny. "Vladimir the Vicious contained the secret to a dragon animagus in his blood, and the gift has been passed down among his descendents. Every other generation possesses the natural power of a dragon animagus from birth, while all descendents are gifted with Dragon Blood flowing through their veins. This makes them very dangerous and unpredictable." He looked up at the others. "Guess that explains a lot."

"Indeed," Dumbledore said dryly. "Explains just about everything, but what Voldemort actually intends to do with you. I think it might be best, if you all returned to Hogwarts a month early. I'm sorry to cut your vacation so short, but it seems necessary at this time."

"Whatever needs to be done to protect Ginny," Draco shrugged.

"Mr. Malfoy, knowing what I now know, it is not Miss Weasley I'm immediately concerned about. It's you."

The meeting finally over, Ginny went in search of Harry. He was out on the workshop roof, just standing there, studying the stars. She climbed out her window and crossed over to him, placing one hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Harry."

"You know that prophecy, I explained to Ron and Hermione, and Luna? I never explained it to you, and maybe it isn't about me at all. Maybe it's been about you all along. I'm a horrible person to wish it on you, but I can't help hoping that it isn't me."

"What is the prophecy?"

"One of us will kill Voldemort, or be killed by him."

"Am I a horrible person to hope it isn't me either?"

"Of course not."

"Then why are you? Horrible things are bound to happen, Harry. That's why Dumbledore doesn't like Divination."

"I'm a monster just like him."

"You're not a monster, Harry Potter. Go ask Luna if you don't believe me." Ginny pushed him towards the rail and the staircase. "I'll see you in the morning. I have to go talk Draco out of his depression now."

"If Professional Quidditch doesn't work out for you, you could have one heck of a career as a psychologist."

"I'll remember that one. Now go to bed."

"Yes, ma'am."


	15. Hogwarts Express On August 1st

"Anyone else feel like this is wrong? Riding the school train now?" Ron paced for the twenty thousandth time.

"It is wrong," Harry said flatly. "All of this is wrong."

"You don't have to be so pessimistic about it," Hermione snapped.

Luna stood, cupped her hands to her mouth and shouted. "Will you all just shut up?" Now that she had their attention, she spoke in a softer quieter voice. "This is a bad situation and our nervous habits are slowly driving everyone insane. We have the whole train to ourselves. Why don't we split up, one couple to a car, instead of all of us packed into one car?"

"That's a good idea," Hermione admitted. "Ron and I'll go to the prefects' car. Ginny and Draco can stay here, and you and Harry can pick any car you want."

"Sounds good. See you all later."

It took about ten minutes to sort everyone out and get them all gone, but the quiet was well worth it. "Finally," Ginny whispered, standing up and moving to sit next to Draco. She leaned against him and fell asleep in the protective circle of his arms.

"Hogwarts!"

The engineer's call woke Ginny and Draco. She stood and offered him a hand up, and then turned to collect their luggage, including the silver cage that held Ginny's new cat, a silver tiger cat named Veritas. It was perfect for her. Draco had done a good job of choosing one and Veritas was extremely attached to both of them. Draco insisted on taking the heaviest of it, only to have Hagrid seize it from him and stow it on one of the carriages. Now all of them could see the thestrals, but none mentioned it aloud. They rode in silence to Hogwarts.

Professor McGonagall greeted them in the front entrance and explained that as there were only a few, they would not be separated into their different houses, but would sleep in the head's dormitories. More beds had been added, and it was spacious enough to accommodate them all. She and the rest of the staff would be more than willing to tutor any bored student in any area they should choose, within reason of course. She directed them to the dormitories and gave them the password (CHOSEN ONES), which was rather ironic, and must have come from the King of Mental Torture, Professor Snape. Then they were left alone to unpack and try to relax.

"Welcome back to Hogwarts. I hope the rest of your summer will not be too terrible. You do have the run of the grounds. If you should need something from Hogsmeade, a teacher will escort you. The Forbidden Forest remains Forbidden, and I'm sure I need not ask the parselmouthes to open the Chamber of Secrets." Dumbledore looked down his nose at them all, and sadly shook his head. "Should even a glimmer of Tom Riddle's handiwork remain, it would not do to have any of you run across it. Enjoy your dinner, I have an urgent meeting with the ministry, as they have yet to find a new minister."

"Nominate Susan Bone's aunt. She seems like a wise woman who would get everything done," Harry suggested. "By the time she retires, Hermione can take over."

"Harry!" Hermione gasped. "I couldn't possibly . . . how would I . . . do you really think I could do it?"

"Miss Granger, I believe as Harry does that you would make a fine minister of magic if you choose to go in that direction. Should you decide to run in the election of 2010, I will be glad to support you." Dumbledore took his cloak from the house-elf and grinned at them all. "Farewell."

He left them shaking their heads and Ron muttering "Totally and completely nutters." Silently they all agreed.

"Professor McGonagall offered to teach us a beginning course in becoming an animagus. Sound worthwhile," Hermione dropped that note into the hat that they were collecting such offers in.

"Count me out of that one."

"But it's a highly useful method of transfiguration-" Hermione began to protest, but Draco cut her off.

"I have no need of it."

Quickly to change the subject, Harry explained about the Occlumency and Dueling lessons that he and Ginny were receiving. Draco was quick to join that one. Anything was better than learning to become the thing he hated with all his might.

They were all sitting in the common room. All were sitting in total silence, waiting for word from Dumbledore, telling them that everything would be all right. Not that it ever would be. Never again. The dragon appeared every night and every night he claimed a new family. It would never end. Draco stared at the flame and didn't respond to anything at all.

Ginny reached out with her power. He had given it to her; it was only right that she use it to help him. Slowly she turned the fire green then blue then purple. He looked up at her mirth in his silver eyes for the first time since her birthday. Concentrating, she let go of the fire and instead lifted the teapot to pour a cup for him. His hand tightened around hers. "I've been figuring it out. About time I did that, eh?"

"Luv, I don't care if you never figure it out. It's one gift that I can't decide whether or not I'm happy I gave you. It saved your life then, but it might still claim it."

"So why don't we make sure that it doesn't?" she asked softly.

Draco frowned. "Good question." He stood up suddenly and threw floo powder into the flame. "I wish to see Professor Severus Snape." Moments later, Snape's head was in the fire. He opened his mouth to speak, but Draco cut him off. "I want details and I want them now, Professor. Why is my father attacking random families? Who died tonight? Who will I spend the rest of my life trying to make atonement to? I've had it with this waiting. It's him who is doing this. I won't sit back and do nothing."

"Mr. Malfoy, Dumbledore has expressly stated that you are to be kept safe at Hogwarts. I suggest you study, or play Wizards' Chess, or something of that nature."

"No."

Draco's calm refusal startled Snape and it took a moment for the teacher to form a reply. "I'm sympathetic to your plight, Mr. Malfoy, but rest assured that we will take care of it."

Something had angered Harry, because he stood up and Ginny felt that she could safely bet 100 galleons on what it was. "Sympathetic? Gee, would that be the same word you used to Sirius. No! You ridiculed him every day, and rubbed his face in it, and he couldn't stay put with both that over his head and me in danger. One at a time maybe. But not both. So don't even try to get out of dealing with us, because we won't have it. We won't let anyone else die because of us. If we're fated to die, we're fated to die. But we won't bring down others with us. I won't do that."

"Potter, sit down, or I will deduct fifty points from Gryffindor before the school year even starts."

"Sorry, Professor. Malfoy's right. I won't sit back and do nothing." Potter raised his wand and doused the fire. "If we're going to do any damage at all, we need to work as a team, and we need more people. Let the adults have their little Order of the Phoenix. From now on, we're an order too. The Order of the Dragon."

"I like the sound of this," Ginny said getting to her feet. "How do we start?"

"Organization. Hermione, get some parchment. You're officially our Secretary. You have to keep track of who is in the order, which has what powers, and any information the adults accidentally leak. Put down our names. We're the first six. Then start a new page for each of us, so we can list our powers. Ginny and I will need to experiment, figure out which powers we share through Voldemort and what came from Draco's blood. Can you keep up with this?"

"Of course I can Harry. I haven't missed a word in Professor Binn's classroom for five years straight."

"Good girl. Let's start alphabetically with Luna. We can skip Hermione. She's good at everything but Divination. Any powers or strengths you know of."

"I can see magic," she stated bluntly. "Charms and curses. Spells and hexes. If it was done with a wand, I can see the magic residue. One of the spells my mum experimented on backfired and hit me. It shows up as a silver blur."

"What spell?" Hermione asked eagerly. "That's a useful gift."

"I don't know. I was two and the whole room turned silver in one second. I was too afraid to ask questions."

"Can you see through invisibility cloaks?" Harry asked, remembering an incident last year.

"Of course."

"It sounds like what Moody's eye does. Hermione, make a note to find a reason to ask Moody what spell was used on his eye."

"Got it. Anything else, Luna?"

"I can read Ancient Runes and speak passable Latin. I've always had an O in both charms and transfigurations. That's all I can think of. No, wait. My patronus is an elephant. If that's likely to scare any of you . . ."

"We all have bizarre patronus's too. Don't worry about it. But mark down what her patronus is, Hermione and leave space for a future animagus."

"Draco, your turn."

"Dragon Blood." Draco shrugged. "I've always gotten an O in potions, but no unusual powers, besides the cute little spell I can do that cuts my hand open and leaves me to bleed to death."

"If you were born with it, how come no one has ever noticed before now? Especially since . . . well, since the whippings and the beatings," Harry asked quietly.

"No one has ever come in contact with my blood before. Ever. My mum was too terrified to clean me up, and I tried not to come to Ginny drenched in blood."

"But what about that time in third year, when you were sent to Madame Pomfrey for that hippogriff attack?" Hermione asked.

"Just a scrougify. I'd stopped bleeding by then. It's a good thing that I didn't let her take off my shirt to deal with it right away. If my blood can put huge holes in that thick coat of Hagrid's, think of what it could do to human flesh."

"Why not just take off the shirt?"

"Scars mattered to me back then, Ron. I wouldn't take off my shirt, until Ginny snuck up to the Hospital Wing through the secret passage, and used a concealment charm on my back."

"There isn't a secret passageway to the Hospital Wing," Harry protested. "It would be on the map."

"There is, but you have to be a redhead for it to work," Draco said in disgust. "Which is prejudiced in the worst way."

"Envious, are we?" Ginny giggled. "It's a Weasley creation. I'm sure of it."

"Probably. Make sure you list that among your other numerous powers."

"It's the only one I was born with that's for sure."


	16. Draconis Caedesis and the OotD

Snape slowly stirred the potion that Voldemort had assigned him in preparation for kidnapping Draco Malfoy and Ginevra Weasley. He was careful to remain as much in the background as possible, so he could listen in on the messages that other deatheaters were bringing the Dark Lord.

It was a fruitless task, until Bellatrix came in and shut the doors behind her. She crossed the room and knelt before Voldemort. "Master."

"Rise, Bella."

The woman obeyed walking forward and summoned a chair to sit in front of him. Moments later her house-elf appeared to serve wine. "You promised me an explanation milord. I understand that Narcissa was weak, but why her son?"

"My beloved . . ." Snape's eyes widened at that. Bellatrix was a married woman, and to Rodolphus, Voldemort's second in command no less. Pureblood mania aside, Voldemort had more than one screw loose. ". . . the daughter made one prophecy, remember? In it was a reference to the boy of dragon blood, the girl he loved enough to give her extraordinary power, and a child of pure blood with the combined power of both. I need the dragon blood to make me invincible, the girl dead in a year after the child's birth, and the child for my heir."

"But you have always said that Draco was your heir," Bellatrix said in confusion.

"No, I have always said that Draco had great power and would give me a proper heir. After he has fathered the child, I will have no use for him, save his blood for an invincibility spell. Otherwise, the girl could kill me, when we set her free to carry, and give birth to the child. And you know who has to spill his blood."

"The little Weasley girl, the one who loves him most," Bellatrix laughed. "The choice will be most pleasant to watch. Kill her love or lose her child." Demented people thought Snape. He knew above all the cost of the choice, had watched it destroy his family almost seventeen years ago, when he sacrificed his wife for Diana and then Diana was killed immediately after providing the vision that Voldemort had so highly sought, a vision that Snape had been spelled to forget. But he could remember now, and he must tell Dumbledore. Then Bellatrix asked a question that brought him back to the odd conversation between the two. "Did you expect the powerful girl would be a Weasley?"

"No, but I think I ought to have. She was born on the right date, though a year after the prophecy, and she is from the pure blood family whether or not they are blood traitors. Their house is fairly close to Lucius's mansion, and Draco probably went there whenever he disappeared from his father's house."

"It's time to bring the boy home permanently," Bellatrix laughed.

"Time indeed."

"Draco, would you review the book before you go to bed? I want to make sure everything I have is correct."

"Of course, Hermione." He accepted the heavy book from her; they had put every resource they had into finding out important information, and developing further powers. It showed in the single volume that Hermione had carefully planned out. Their following, students who had returned to Hogwarts in support of them (though the teachers believed that they all just wanted to keep their friends company) filled both dormitories and overflowed into the common room. Draco had given up his bed to Dennis Creevey, in favor of the armchair in front of the fire. So this was where he went to examine the notes. "Veritas." The book fell open and lettering appeared.

_**Members of the Order of the Dragon**_

_Cho Ming Chang_

_Colin Leopold Creevey_

_Dennis Edvard Creevey_

_Hermione Jane Granger_

_Neville Arthur Longbottom_

_Luna Diane Luvgood_

_Draconis Caedesis Malfoy_

_Harry James Potter_

_Ginevra Molly Weasley_

_Ronald Bilius Weasley_

_**Table Of Contents**_

_Pgs. 2-11 Individual Members File_

_Pgs. 12-32 Information on Voldemort_

_Pgs. 33-39 Information on Vladimir the Vicious & Proof that both Lucius & __Draco Malfoy are of his line._

_Pgs. 40-44 Information on Magical Creatures & Magical Creature Animagus_

_Pgs. 45 Information on Valid Prophecies of Sibyl Trelawny_

_Pgs. 46-63 Information on Harry Potter and the History of Parselmouthes_

_Pgs. 64-70 Privileged Information on Order of the Phoenix Activities_

_Pgs. 71-93 Newspaper Clippings of Deatheather Attacks_

_Pgs. 94-98 Information on Draco Malfoy, Draconis Caedesis, and Other __Relevant Information_

_Pgs. 98-100Information on Ginny Weasley and Powers inherited from Dragon __Blood_

The sections on him and Ginny were new. Looks like Luna must have found something important. He resisted turning there first and double-checked the personal files yet again. There could be absolutely no mistake on these whatsoever. It might cost someone his or her life if there was. He made a note that the snake patronus that Dennis had produced was actually an American Rattler, but other than that, Hermione's records were in perfect condition.

It was a good thing, the day after tomorrow they planned to bring down Lucius Malfoy. No matter what it took.


	17. A Past I'd Like To Forget

Ginny lay on the sofa next to her sleeping boyfriend surveying the scene before her. Ten members of the new order slept here and there throughout the room, no one wanting to be selfish and claim one of the few beds. They had just this night to sleep. Tomorrow at sunset, they would go after Lucius Malfoy. She couldn't sleep though and careful not to disturb Draco she got up to stand in front of the window and watch the rain.

She never saw Draco toss and turn in a distressed sleep.

_"Are you sure, Severus?"_

_"Yes, headmaster. I now remember the prophecy they beat out of Diana."_

_"What of it?"_

_"Malfoy and the little Weasley, they'll have a child someday with the combined power of both. That's what Voldemort wants. 'A proper heir,' he termed it."_

_"But what of Draco's blood, and the possibility of Ginny killing Voldemort?"_

_"After the baby is created, he intends to force the Weasley girl to kill Draco, his life or the child's, then Draco's blood will be used in an invulnerability spell to keep Weasley from killing him until he can dispose of her a year after the birth."_

_"Why not kill her right after?"_

_"Probably doesn't want to go through the difficulties of finding a wet nurse."_

_"Diabolical, and seemingly flawless."_

_"Seemingly?"_

_"He underestimated what we'll sacrifice for his defeat. If it is the only way, then there is only one option."_

_"I will not be party to this, Dumbledore. I lost my wife. I lost Diana. She was four. No other person should mourn the loss of a loved one or a child. If you intend to remove either Draco or the infant, you will have to fight me as well as those two children."_

_"I wouldn't do that."_

_"What else could that statement have meant?"_

Draco sat up in cold panic. Ginny was not there. A quick glance around the room showed that she was standing at the window watching it rain. He stood and walked over to her. "Alright, luv?"

"I'm fine. Are you okay?"

"No. This castle isn't safe anymore. Not for me."

"What do you mean, Draco?" Ginny looked up at him startled.

"I just dreamed what is going on in the head's office. Dumbledore just found out that if I don't exist, Voldemort's plans fall apart. Then you or Harry can kill Voldemort and everyone can return to their normal existence."

"No, Draco. He wouldn't! He couldn't!"

"If it was absolutely necessary, he would do it, and he should. It might end this for once and for all."

"Please," Ginny whimpered, tears rolling down her face. One of her hands reached up and touched his cheek. "Don't say it. There has to be another way."

"Ginny, I love you. If dying, means that your life would return to normal, I would do it in a second. I'm going downstairs and offering him the choice."

"No," she wept.

His arms tightened around her. "No," he repeated. She looked up at him hopefully. "Not yet. I have one thing to do first."

Her eyes widened. "You're going to go now. You can't go alone. We'll go tonight. All of us. Together."

"I might not live that long. Stay here with Harry and your brother. You'll be safe."

"I can't. I have to come with you."

"No."

In a fury, she pulled him down to her level and kissed him until she tasted blood, blood that would have killed any other girl. "Wait until dawn."

"No." He pressed a quick kiss to the top of her head and snatched up his invisibility cloak.

She called him back. "How long will you stay tonight?" She didn't mean with her; she meant something different that even she didn't understand. But Draco did.

His gaze softened. "I'll be here when the sun rises, but I'll be gone before you wake." The words had a new feel to them now, but it was a comfort just to hear them. A second later and he was gone. Ginny collapsed on the now vacant sofa and cried in silence.

Draco slipped under the giant ballroom windows. Just because everything was dark inside, did not mean that his father wouldn't be standing in some bizarre place, studying the windows. His father liked to be unpredictable, that was the only thing that would never change. He pressed up against the wall as one of the house-elves dashed through the pelting rain towards the stables. He let out a sigh of relief as it passed him and slipped into the open door.

And ran headlong into his potions professor. "Young Mr. Malfoy. And what would you be doing here?"

"I can't die until he's gone."

"You were listening to me and Albus."

"Heard it in a dream."

"I won't kill you, Draco."

"Yes, sir. Have you ever even used the killing curse?"

"Once. Rather ironic really. I refused to kill, and then I killed my own wife to save Diana's life."

"Your daughter."

"Yes. She was a seer, and once she foretold of your child Voldemort killed her anyway. She was only four."

"The little girl with blonde hair and blue eyes in the picture frame in your office."

"Yes."

"I'm sorry, sir."

"It no longer matters. I have a past I'd like to forget. I can't. Never make the choice, Draco. Fight until the very end and go down fighting. Your loved ones will probably be safer then." Snape paused and looked down at his student. "You'll live. You'll marry that girl and have that special child. I won't allow anything else to occur."

"Thank you, Professor, but some sacrifices are necessary."

"Not this one. Are you ready to face your worst nightmare, Mr. Malfoy?"

"Yes, sir."

"Than draw your wand. Lucius is in the next room."


	18. End This Now

_"Good evening, Severus. Thank you for returning my son."_

_"Actually I found him in the entrance hall, Lucius. My original intent was to kill you alone, but I think that Draco has a right to assist."_

_"What are you talking about, Severus?" Lucius stood and drew his wand. "I would not have expected a Snape to be the sole traitor to the Dark Lord."_

_"Sole traitor? You do me a great honor, Lucius, but there is another traitor, one who has spent his entire life fighting this way of life. No, I think that Draco has well earned the position. Or perhaps you meant traitor as having served the Dark Lord and then changing, but I cannot accept the honor in that event either. I joined the deatheaters to help Dumbledore. Even after my wife and daughter died, I stayed on to protect Draco. Diana did love playing with the boy, before you altered their memories."_

_"No one is to say that name! The Dark Lord has forbidden it!"_

_"I'm the one who chose it and I'll use my daughter's name in proud memory. Voldemort couldn't even break a four year old's spirit."_

_"The name of the seer is forbidden," Lucius hissed._

_"She wasn't the seer. She was a beautiful four-year-old with big blue eyes, long blonde hair. Her name was Diana Lune Snape. She was my daughter. If you stopped seeing people as nameless objects, your wife, NARCISSA, would still be alive, your son, DRACO, would be proud of you. But you've let Voldemort twist you, until nothing good remains. Draw your wand. Lucius Malfoy will not kill another child. The world has my word on it."_

Harry sat up as the dream faded. "Draco!" He looked over at the sofa where Draco had crashed last night. Ginny sat there weeping, and Harry knew the answer before he even asked the question. "Where is Draco?"

"He . . . he . . . he left . . . already."

"Snape's with him. They're at Malfoy Manor and they've found Lucius. Wake the others. We're going now." Ginny threw her arms around Harry's neck.

"Thank you. Please save him."

"We will. I promise."

"You were always a disgrace to me, Draco. A Malfoy with feelings, what use is that to our cause?"

"Gee, Father, how about my blood for an invulnerability potion?" Draco raised his wand. "I'm ready to end this now."

"Then end it we shall. CRUCIO!"

Draco dove out of the curse's path and responded with a disarming spell. Surprised at his son's agility, Lucius lost his wand, but refused to give up. He immediately transformed into his animagus form. In moments, they were ducking fire from the dragon's mouth. It took only a scarce second's search to find the wand, and Draco immediately broke it over his knee. The dragon roared, and swiped at him with its tail. He took four gashes to his side, and realized that they were at a severe disadvantage. If the dragon was trapped in a small space similar to the parlor, it would have no room to maneuver and they could spell it easily. But they were in the ballroom, which gave the dragon just enough room to move freely. Two men didn't stand a chance against one dragon.

Then reinforcements spilled in. Now the humans numbered eleven and they slipped easily into their teams and partnerships, working off others' spells and movements. Strangely deatheaters did not arrive, as if Lucius wanted the glory of killing them all for his own. Draco ignored the others and immediately fell into place next to Ginny. "You're early, Ginny."

"You started the party without us." She blocked a flame burst with her force field, then leaned over to kiss him. "Don't do that again."

"No ma'am." For the better part of an hour, they tried to wear down the dragon, which had knocked out Snape, Cho, and Ron. Hermione was protecting them, but still fighting. "This is never going to end. He's a dragon. We can't do this."

"You can. You will," Ginny assured him.

"How?" he yelled in frustration, rolling out of the way of the tail. "All I have is useless dragon blood. What good is that going to do on a dragon?"

"Dragon hide is vulnerable to dragon blood," Ginny cried. "We just have to get rid of the scales first."

"Go for it."

Ginny closed her eyes, reached out and yanked as hard mentally as she could. A roar let her know that she had accomplished the task, just as the tail swiped her feet out from under her and she hit her head against the floor.

Draco watched her fall. Ginny did not get up and with a fury; he leapt up onto the dragon's wing. He aimed his wand and screamed at the top of his lungs, "Draconis Caedesis!" The biting pain laced through his hand, but it was nothing compared to the death throes of the dragon. "Everyone get out of the way!" he yelled. Snape had regained his senses and was helping Hermione with Cho and Ron. He saw Harry lean over and lift Ginny over his shoulder, making a mental note to thank the boy if he lived through this. The dragon hit the ground, pinning Draco under its wing, as it thrashed about madly. His head was slammed into a stone, and everything went black.

When Draco woke up, he found that he was alone in the ballroom with the body of his father only ten feet away. He felt sick, looking at the body and knowing that he had accomplished it. There was a cry from the doorway and Ginny dashed across the room to where he knelt in the rubble. He reached up to prevent her from throwing herself onto him, but seeing his blood soaked hand and sleeve, he dropped it and just wrapped his good arm around her, holding her tightly, rocking her back and forth. After she had calmed herself, she sat back and took his hand. Concentrating, she carefully healed the cut and he wiped the blood off on his robes. "Alright then?"

"Of course. You?" she asked in concern.

"I've been better." He continued to stare at the body, until Ginny pulled him to his feet. Then he realized that the others had come in too. "Hey."

"Everyone is alive and well of course," Snape tried to distract him.

"Thank you, Professor. I think everyone agrees that you have just become an honorary member of the Order of the Dragon."

"It is the greatest honor, I have ever achieved," Snape answered in a solemn tone. It sounded like he meant it.

"Thanks, Harry. For saving Ginny."

"No problem. She's light as a feather."

Draco turned and looked at the body again. "I did what I said I was going to. I killed him."

"No, Mr. Malfoy. The blood killed the dragon. The man would have been fine after transforming. Look again."

Draco took a step closer and now he saw the large shard of glass from the window sticking out of the man's chest, limp fingers still around it. "He killed himself."

"He could not bear the stigma of being beaten both at magic, and in combat, by his only son. Death came first."

"That's good to know. That I didn't kill him, I mean."

"Yes, Mr. Malfoy. I imagine it is."

"Take the credit, Professor. All of it. We're going to disappear. The adults can't find out about our Order, and I don't want to be in the newspaper ever again. Maybe it'll help Dumbledore sway the ministry about you. You can't go back to spying on the deatheaters now."

"I know. Thank you, Draco. It is very noble of you."

"Selfish really. I don't have to sit through a Rita Skeeter interview."

"Yes, the woman has a charm all her own," Snape answered dryly. "It is easier on one's nerves to avoid her, but I suppose it is my duty."

"We had better go."

"Just a second, Draco," whispered Luna. She stepped up to the Professor and looked up at him. "Hello, Father."

That turned everyone's heads as Snape turned white. Then the heads swiveled to Harry, who shrugged. "She asked me to call her Diana weeks ago. I kind of connected it when Snape was talking to Malfoy in my dream."

"Any other shockers, you kids would like to add?" Snape asked nervously.

Draco knelt and picked up something that gleamed at his feet, a silver tooth. Then he tilted his head, and thought about it. "I've changed my mind. If Ginny and I promise to behave ourselves, do you think you could talk Dumbledore out of killing me?"

"Of course. I wouldn't expect you to do otherwise."

"Good." Draco turned back to Ginny and kissed her, until the cheering got too obnoxious. Then he smirked. "I've got an idea about what charm I'm going to give you for Christmas."

"Oh, really? It wouldn't happen to be another Dragon or Heart would it?"

"A combination of the two actually." He kissed her again.

Ron groaned. "Would you two get a room?"

"No!" Snape interrupted forcefully. "I believe, Mr. Weasley, that you have missed some fairly crucial events of the evening. But do not make that suggestion again, until Voldemort is dead and these two are married."

"Or what?" Ron asked, putting an arm around Hermione, feeling quite impervious to anything at the moment.

Snape's mouth twitched in what appeared to be a smile, as he began to sing softly: "Sing a song of sixpence, pocket full of pie, four and twenty 'Miones baked in a pie. When the pie was open than she began to sing. Wasn't that a dainty dish to set before Ron the King?"

Everyone joined in for the last line. **"All hail, King Ron!"**

"Not funny," Ron complained.

**A/N: I swear that when I started this story, I had no intention of making Snape Luna's father or even remotely attached to Draco. It just came out during the last two chapters and I went with it.**

**A/N: If you want this story to remain light and fluffy ending, stop here because this is technically the last chapter. The epilogue going up soon deals with the cost of victory in the final battle and Draco and Ginny's prophecied baby. It's sad, but it brings the story full circle.**


	19. Epilogue

_I'll Be There When The Sun Rises, But I'll Be Gone Before You Wake._

"Hurry, Mr. Malfoy, you have moments only."

Draco nodded to the nurse, and lifted Davy into his arms. The three year old was light, and made it easier to move faster. The little boy's weight was reassuring, an anchor in the confusing trembling world around him. It was easier to concentrate on the reason Harry Potter's son called him Daddy than on why he was hurrying to see his wife and . . . he couldn't bring himself to even think it.

Harry and Luna Diane did not survive the final battle, leaving an orphaned three-month-old son, and a devastated Severus Snape. The Professor's precious daughter had been taken from him yet again by Voldemort. He remembered Snape just freezing and staring at the two bodies while the battle went on around him. Then he heard the words that would ensure the fate of wizarding kind everywhere. "Avada Kedavra!" Ginny's anger had spilled out of her, and the slight control she had on her power vanished taking Voldemort by surprise-and from behind-leaving a third body to fall into the water, and a light from above falling on the scene as Dumbledore came too late. Ginny had fallen apart then, he had caught her as she fainted. Looked up and lied as bold as brass to the headmaster. "Harry Potter finally did it. Voldemort is gone." He knew without asking that Ron and Hermione, the only other witnesses, would back him up, and he forced his way into his professor's mind to explain the events to him. It was the one secret that Dumbledore would never know. And Draco never regretted keeping it from him. Funny how six students and one Professor could take out the Darkest Wizard of the century when the ministries of the world, all of the aurors could do nothing.

The only thing that got through to Ginny during that time was Davy. Snape himself had placed the cooing infant, his only grandson, into Ginny's arms. Unable to care for the baby, and unable to soothe it, he offered them the child. "I'm trusting you, Draco. Protect your girl, and protect my grandson. I'll take care of the rest." Draco had agreed, unable to bear the pain in Ginny's eyes. And the pain disappeared, life resumed, and for all intents and purposes, David James Potter became Davy Malfoy the same day Draco married Ginny. Some bonds of friendship go too deep to do anything else for a deceased friend's son. Draco had wondered if Sirius and Remus had felt this way about Harry and if they did, then why had they let the muggles raise him? Dumbledore probably held that secret as well. Had to hold all the cards, Dumbledore did.

Now he was free of Dumbledore, free of his father, free of Voldemort, free of Harry, and free of Snape. Sometimes he wondered how much truth the words he and Ginny whispered before he left on auror assignments held. "I'll be there when the sun rises, but I'll be gone before you wake." Someday would he whisper those words, and allow Ginny to be awakened by news of his death? Terrible thoughts, but after the news arrived three months ago, most of his thoughts were terrible. The prophecy promised a powerful child, but it never promised that the child would live long.

The doctors had offered to terminate it, hopeful that the Malfoys could try again if the weak infant was never born, but the idea had disgusted him. That night he sat with his wife, rubbing her aching back as she cried, shedding a few tears himself. He was unashamed of it. His child was dying, and for all his gold and power, he could do absolutely nothing. "I can't get rid of her, Draco. She's ours." The words rang in his ears, the final decision that they both knew from the beginning in simplest form. They had created her. She was theirs and they would do everything they could for her.

No time was left for thoughts. This was the room, the door, the bed. Here was his daughter, lovingly cradled in her mother's arms. "Here, Davy, is your little sister. Her name is Adriana Diane Malfoy."

"Mine?"

"Your little sister." His voice was cracking and he knew it. He had longed for so long to say these words, but it was so hard now. "She's small, but she's a fighter." He touched the pale blond fluff, smiling as her hazel eyes blinked sleepily. Her breathing was slow, and ragged, but she looked absolutely perfect. "She's ours." The room reverberated a little as if little Adriana was agreeing with the statement, her powers strong even if her body was not.

"Mummy? Where's the baby gonna sleep?"

Ginny tried to smile through her tears. "In heaven. That's where our little angel belongs."

"I'm you angel, mummy," Davy protested.

"All children are angels, Davy-boy. I was blessed with two, even if I can't keep one of them. Would you like to hold her, Davy? Draco, take a picture of them." He picked up his camera and focused it on the children and Ginny. All three were his angels in one form or another.

After a few minutes, Ron and Hermione came to take Davy for the night, leaving them alone for a little while with their daughter. They watched the sunrise, before dozing off. The baby smiled, cradled between them and closed her eyes, fluttering the long eyelashes one more time, before closing them forever.

"I'll be there when the sun rises, but I'll be gone before you wake."

**The End.**


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